TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A season-high 14 kills from Paige Flickinger and another double-double by Jurnee Robinson helped end LSU’s four-match losing streak as they swept Alabama 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 Sunday afternoon at Foster Auditorium.
With the win, LSU moves to 8-10 and 3-5 in SEC play, while Alabama’s losing streak continues to nine as it stands at 10-10 overall and 0-9 in league matches.
The Tigers held the advantage in each statistical category, as they hit .270 on 44 kills and had 41 assists with four aces in their first sweep in league play this season. Defensively, the Tigers had 44 digs and eight blocks.
In addition to her 14 kills, Flickinger added one ace and six digs. Robinson turned in her fourth double-double of the season and logged a match-high four blocks that featured two solo blocks. Middle blocker Anita Anwusi matched Robinson’s four blocks and found the floor eight times, while right side Ellie Echter finished with a career-high seven kills and contributed two blocks.
Libero Erin Carmichael led all players with 15 digs and had seven assists and one ace, and setters Maddie Waak and Emily Mitter handed out 18 and 13 assists, respectively. Waak also added five digs, one ace and one block.
Set 1
LSU scored the first three points of the match and built a 5-1 lead. Alabama tied the set at 10, but the Tigers reeled off five consecutive points to take a 15-10 lead into the media timeout. Bama scored the following four points out of the break, but the Tigers held on to an 18-15 advantage when the Crimson Tide called the first timeout of the frame. Alabama trimmed the deficit to one at 18-17, but LSU brought its lead back to four at 21-17. The Tigers signaled for time ahead 22-20 and scored three of the final four points to win the fourth set, 25-21. Anwusi led the Tigers with four kills and added one block, and Flickinger found the floor three times in the opening frame.
Set 2
Another early 5-1 run by LSU put the Tigers on top 6-4. The visiting club led 8-5 before Alabama went on a 5-0 run and took a 10-8 lead to generate a Tigers’ timeout. LSU tied the frame at 10, but Alabama scored another five unanswered points to go ahead 15-10. The Tigers scored the next three points, and the Tide took a timeout, possessing a 15-13 lead. A 3-0 run from LSU tied the set at 16, and the teams proceeded to knot the score on three separate occasions up to 20-20 before an LSU kill gave them a 21-20 lead and forced an Alabama timeout. The Fighting Tigers scored the first point out of the timeout, and the teams exchanged points until LSU ended it 25-23. Flickinger led the way with four kills, while Anwusi, Echter, and Robinson followed with three kills each.
Set 3
LSU burned an early timeout as they trailed Alabama 10-6. The Crimson Tide grew their lead 16-11, but the Tigers put away consecutive kills to pull within three points 16-13 and pressured Bama into using its first timeout of the set. LSU pieced together an overall 5-0 run to take an 18-16 lead, and Alabama called its final timeout at 21-19. However, the momentum stayed with the Tigers as they closed the set on a 4-1 run. LSU had a .394 hitting percentage in the set. Flickinger went off for seven kills in the set, followed by five from Robinson with a solo block.
Up Next
LSU will play three of its next four matches at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, beginning with home weekend contests versus Kentucky at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, and South Carolina at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29.
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