BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU (7-7, 2-2 SEC) challenges No. 12 Tennessee (14-1, 5-0 SEC) at noon CT on Sunday, Oct. 8 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. Sunday’s match has been upgraded to air on ESPN2 with Eric Frede and Nicole Branagh calling the contest.
LSU looks to bounce back from a 3-0 setback against No. 13 Arkansas Wednesday night. The Tigers have a .243 hitting percentage this season behind 12.85 kills per set on 12.08 assists per set. LSU has registered 1.48 aces per set (77 total), 1.77 blocks and 13.42 digs per set.
Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson ranks No. 2 in the SEC and No. 23 in the NCAA with 4.18 kills per set and No. 6 in the league with 4.67 points per set. Robinson has totaled three matches with 20 or more kills this season in addition to 27 blocks and eight aces.
Middle blocker Anita Anwusi ranks No. 6 in the conference with a .353 hitting percentage behind 108 total kills and leads the team at the net with 36 total blocks. Middle blocker Angie Lee contributes to LSU’s defensive prowess at the net as she leads the team with 0.94 blocks per set and 34 blocks over the last nine matches.
Right side Jade Demps has registered 2.35 kills per set, contributes 23 blocks, nine aces, and averages 2.37 digs per set. Outside hitter Sanaa Dotson rounds out the Tigers’ top three hitters with 2.30 kills per set and has chipped in 14 blocks and five aces.
Setter Maddie Waak ranks No. 8 in the SEC with 9.77 assists per set and has a team-high 17 aces and 2.46 digs per set this season. Defensive specialist Bri Anderson averages 2.35 digs per set and 87 total digs over 37 sets. Defensive specialist Erin Carmichael follows with 2.20 digs per set and matches Waak’s 17 aces this season.
LSU leads Tennessee in the all-time series 40-30 but has lost five of the last six matches. The Volunteers defeated the Tigers in both matches last season in Knoxville. LSU’s last win over Tennessee was a 3-0 sweep in Baton Rouge on Oct. 24, 2021.