STARKVILLE, Miss. – LSU’s reverse-sweep bid came up short Sunday afternoon as the Tigers fell to Mississippi State, 3-2 (21-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 10-15), at the Newell-Grissom Building. The match marked LSU’s third consecutive five-set contest.
Offensively, LSU (6-5, 1-1 SEC) held the advantage over Mississippi State (11-1, 1-0 SEC) in hitting percentage (.261-.243), kills (72-69) and assists (69-67). The Tigers struggled at the service line, however, recording two aces and 10 service errors, while the Bulldogs finished with five aces and one service error. LSU also held the edge in blocks, 8.0-7.0, but Mississippi State finished with 84 digs to LSU’s 71.
Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson recorded her third consecutive double-double and seventh of the season with 18 kills and 10 digs. She added one block to finish with 18.5 points. With her performance Sunday, Robinson moved into 10th place all-time at LSU with 1,785.5 career points and into third place in the rally-scoring era after surpassing Kyna Washington (2005-08).
Right side Camryn Jeffery followed with a career-high 17 kills and two blocks. Jeffery has recorded double-digit kills in five of LSU’s last six matches.
Middle blocker Jessica Jones rounded out LSU’s top offensive performers with a career-best 14 kills while hitting .480. She also added three blocks.
Setter Lauren Brooker directed the LSU offense with 55 assists, one shy of her career high. She added three kills, two blocks and an ace. Sunday marked the third time in her career that Brooker has recorded 50 or more assists in a match.
Middle blocker Sanaa Donaie posted a match-high four blocks and added nine kills while hitting .333. Libero Kiley Brooks led the Tigers defensively with 16 digs and added an ace, and defensive specialist Ella Hemmings logged a season-high 14 digs.
SET 1
Mississippi State sprinted out to a 7-0 lead, prompting LSU to call its first timeout of the match. The Bulldogs extended their advantage to 9-0 before the Tigers recorded their first point.
LSU began to chip away at the deficit behind a 7-2 run, but a Mississippi State kill sent the match to the media timeout with the Bulldogs leading 15-10.
The Tigers continued to battle, using an overall 13-6 run to pull within two at 18-16 and force Mississippi State to call a timeout. The Bulldogs reached the 20-point mark with a 20-17 advantage and held a 22-21 lead before closing the set on a 3-0 run to take the opening frame, 25-21.
SET 2
LSU trailed 15-14 at the media timeout despite hitting .409 with 11 kills. The Tigers were hampered by three service errors and two blocking errors.
LSU tied the set at 16-16, but Mississippi State responded with a 6-2 run to take a 22-18 lead. The Bulldogs ultimately took a 2-0 match lead with a 25-20 victory.
SET 3
Jeffery’s kill to open the frame gave LSU its first lead of the match, but Mississippi State answered by taking a 10-9 advantage. The Tigers regained the lead at 15-14 after 12 total ties.
LSU stretched its lead to 17-14 behind four unanswered points, prompting Mississippi State to call a timeout. The Bulldogs used their final timeout with LSU leading 20-16 after another 3-0 Tiger run.
LSU remained in control and avoided the sweep with a 25-20 victory.
The Tigers hit .385 in the frame with 20 kills. Jeffery led LSU with five kills, while Donaie and Robinson added four apiece.
SET 4
LSU carried the momentum into the fourth set, but Mississippi State used a 3-0 run to take a 7-5 lead. The Tigers responded with a 6-2 run, highlighted by a pair of 3-0 bursts, to take a 13-12 advantage. Mississippi State reclaimed the lead, 15-14, at the media timeout.
LSU scored three of the next five points out of the break to tie the set at 17-17 and force a Mississippi State timeout. The teams traded points until the score reached 20-20.
Donaie’s kill gave LSU a 21-20 lead and forced Mississippi State to use its final timeout of the set. Robinson followed with a strike to the back corner to extend the LSU advantage to 22-20.
Mississippi State battled back to tie the set at 22-22, but the Tigers closed the frame on a 3-0 run. Brooker delivered an ace before Donaie and Jeffery combined for a block to seal the 25-22 victory and force a fifth set.
SET 5
LSU called a timeout trailing 9-6 as Mississippi State used a 4-1 run to build its advantage. The timeout proved effective as the Tigers responded, forcing the Bulldogs to call timeout after LSU pulled within two at 10-8.
Jeffery followed with a kill to make it 10-9, but Mississippi State answered with three consecutive points to take a 12-9 lead and force LSU to use its final timeout.
The Bulldogs closed out the match from there, taking the fifth set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.
UP NEXT
LSU returns home for a pair of SEC matches at the Maravich Center. The Tigers host Vanderbilt on Sept. 30 before welcoming Missouri on Oct. 4. Both matches will air on SEC Network.
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