OMAHA, Neb. – LSU (1-2) fell 3-0 (23-25, 26-28, 17-25) to Northern Iowa (2-2) to open the Bluejay Invitational Friday evening at the D.J. Sokol Arena.
The Tigers recorded a .304 hitting percentage on 45 kills, while the Panthers hit .371 on the day with 56 kills. LSU won the battle at the net with six blocks to Northern Iowa’s (UNI) five, but the Panthers edged the Tigers in aces (5-1), assists (48-42), and digs (54-41).
Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson led the Tigers with 14 kills and added seven digs and one block. Middle blocker Anita Anwusi followed with 11 kills on a .526 hitting percentage and registered three blocks. Outside hitter, Sanaa Dotson rounded out the top hitters with 10 kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
Setter Maddie Waak finished the match with 39 assists, seven digs and a kill, and right side Jade Demps had seven kills, a team-high 12 digs, and four blocks in the loss.
Set 1
The match opened with both teams trading points to a 4-4 tie, but UNI took a 7-4 lead behind a 3-0 run to force an LSU timeout. The Tigers responded with an 8-0 run and burned through the Panthers’ timeouts with a 16-10 lead. UNI battled back and pulled within one point at 20-19 when LSU used its final timeout of the set. The Tigers scored the first two points out of the timeout, but the Panthers scored six of the last seven points, highlighted by a 5-0 run to take the opening set, 25-22.
Set 2
UNI jumped in front 10-5, but LSU struck back with a 6-2 run, including a 5-0 burst to take its first lead of the stanza at 12-11 and encouraged a UNI timeout. With the score knotted at 13, the Panthers scored four of the following five points to take the lead at 17-14. After the Tigers took their first timeout, they scored two consecutive points, but a 3-1 UNI run pushed the deficit back to three at 20-17, and LSU used its final timeout of the frame. LSU scored the next four points to take a 21-20 lead, but UNI weathered the storm and won the set 28-26 for a 2-0 match lead.
Set 3
LSU trailed 15-12 at the media timeout and 18-13 when they signaled for its first timeout of the set. The Tigers called its final timeout down 21-15 and ultimately fell 25-17.
Up Next
The Bluejay Invitational continues with the Tigers facing tournament host No. 20 Creighton at 5 p.m. CT.
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