LSU Takes Down Auburn, 3-1

AUBURN, Ala. – The LSU Tigers (12-7, 4-4 SEC) outlasted Auburn (14-5, 4-4 SEC) in a fourth set that featured 18 ties and six lead changes to secure a 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21) victory Friday night at Neville Arena.

LSU has won three of its last four matches and has defeated Auburn eight times in a nine-match span, including four victories in Auburn.

The Bayou Bengals put together a solid all-around performance. Offensively, LSU hit .297 on 59 kills and served 10 aces, and on defense, the Fighting Tigers dug 64 balls and finished with 10 blocks. Friday night marked the third time LSU has registered double-digit aces and the fifth time they had double-digit blocks.

Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson tallied her eighth 20-kill performance of the season, finishing with 26 kills on a .346 hitting percentage, and added three blocks and an ace for a match-high 28.5 points. Middle blocker Angelina Lee and outside hitter Lainee Pyles each added 11 kills. Lee hit .526 in the match and led the team with six blocks while leading the team with six blocks.

Setter Bailey Ortega turned in her fifth double-double this season with 43 assists and 14 digs, and she contributed four kills and three blocks, including one solo block. Outside hitter AC Froehlich was a significant contributor in the match, accounting for a career-high of five aces and 18 digs to go along with three kills, and libero Aly Kirkhoff had 13 digs and eight assists in the win.

Auburn had a trio of players finish with double-figure kills, led by Lauren Dreves’ 14 kills, Madison Scheer’s 12, and Chelsey McCurdy’s 10. McCurdy also had six blocks in the loss.

Set 1

Auburn led 5-2 early, however, one of three big runs for the LSU, including an overall 6-1 run, put the visiting club ahead 15-12 at the media timeout. The Fighting Tigers kept the pressure on by scoring six of the following nine points and burned through both AU timeouts leading 21-15. LSU went on to win the set 25-17, punctuated by Robinson’s seventh kill in the frame. She hit .357, and LSU as a unit hit .306 while holding Auburn to a .171 clip behind four blocks and 16 digs.

Set 2

The second stanza was a back-and-forth affair early with 10 ties and four lead changes before LSU pulled away to a 16-13 lead behind five unanswered points as part of a 7-1 burst. AU was forced to use its first timeout of the set down 19-12 and responded by scoring the next four points. LSU kept working and forced Auburn to call its final timeout with a 22-18 lead and went ahead 2-0 in the match with a 25-20 victory. LSU hit .310 in the frame, led again by Robinson, who tallied six kills on a .500 hitting percentage.   

Set 3

The Bayou Bengals used a 5-0 run to build an 8-4 advantage but took their first timeout of the match when AU stormed back for a 10-9 lead. Auburn’s run increased to six consecutive points for a 13-9 lead before Pyles landed back-to-back kills. LSU called its final timeout of the set, trailing 17-12, and ultimately fell 25-20.  

Set 4

Auburn held a 10-9 edge, but LSU scored three consecutive points, featuring back-to-back kills by Robinson to take a 12-10 lead and force an AU timeout. Auburn rallied back for a 15-14 lead and went ahead 18-16 when LSU called its first timeout. Auburn returned the favor, burning its final timeout after Lee landed a kill to cap a 3-0 run, giving LSU the lead at 19-18. After the clubs tied two more times and Auburn took a 21-20 lead, LSU ended the match on a 5-0 run sparked by two kills and an ace from Robinson. Robinson took over the set with nine kills on a .389 hitting percentage, and Lee came on with six kills on eight errorless swings for a .750 hitting percentage. LSU hit .500 in a set for the second time this season, landing 21 kills on 36 swings with just three errors.   

Up Next

LSU heads to Athens, Ga., for a 1 p.m. CT match against Georgia on Sunday, Oct. 27, on SEC Network +.  

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