Volleyball Set for Top-10 Matches at No. 4 Kentucky, No. 10 Tennessee

BATON ROUGE, La. – A pair of top-10 opponents await the LSU volleyball team this weekend, as the Tigers travel to face No. 4 Kentucky and No. 10 Tennessee. Both matches will stream live on SEC Network+.

LSU (7-6, 2-2 SEC) opens the weekend at 6 p.m. CT Friday, Oct. 9, against Kentucky (11-3, 3-1 SEC) at historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky., with Dick Gabriel and Molly Alvey on the call. The Tigers will conclude the weekend Sunday afternoon against Tennessee (10-3, 1-2 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., with Cruz Martin and Abby Clark calling the action.

LSU is 25-51 all-time against Kentucky and 40-34 against Tennessee. This weekend marks the second time the Tigers have faced two top-10 opponents in the same weekend. Last season, LSU hosted then-No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 2 Texas on Oct. 24 and Oct. 26, 2025.

The Tigers enter the weekend at 2-2 in SEC play after earning another five-set victory over Missouri last Sunday, Oct. 4. Three of LSU’s four SEC matches have gone the distance, and the Tigers are 4-2 in five-set matches overall this season.

LSU has gutted out gritty performances throughout the season, particularly on defense. The Tigers rank third in the SEC with 133.5 total blocks and have reached double-digit blocks in nine matches this season. LSU also ranks fourth in the conference with 14.07 digs per set, totaling 760 digs, and has recorded four matches with 70 or more digs. The Tigers are holding opponents to a .194 hitting percentage.

Offensively, LSU averages 12.94 kills and 11.96 assists per set, both ranking ninth in the SEC. Outside hitter Jurnee Robinson leads the conference and ranks among the top five nationally with 5.73 points and 5.06 kills per set. Robinson has recorded eight double-doubles this season, including four in her last five matches. She has totaled 273 kills, 42 blocks, including a team-high 11 solo blocks, and 10 aces.

Right side Camryn Jeffery has added 114 kills, averaging 2.48 kills per set, along with 25 blocks and two aces. Jeffery has recorded double-digit kills in six of LSU’s last eight matches.

Middle blockers Sanaa Donaie and Jessica Jones have been key contributors for the Tigers on both sides of the net. The duo has combined for 149 kills on a .298 hitting percentage and averages 1.10 blocks per set with 101 combined blocks. Donaie ranks third in the SEC with 1.35 blocks per set and leads LSU with 54 total blocks. She also has 61 kills and four aces this season. Jones has recorded 88 kills on a .301 hitting percentage and ranks fourth in SEC matches alone with a .407 hitting percentage on 40 kills. She has 47 total blocks this season, averaging 0.92 per set.

Setter Lauren Brooker leads LSU with 8.06 assists per set and 290 total assists. She also has 13 kills, 11 blocks and four aces and is coming off her fourth career 50-assist match, including her second of the season.

Freshman libero Kiley Brooks anchors the Tigers’ back row, averaging 3.72 digs per set with 201 total digs, which ranks eighth in the SEC. Brooks also leads LSU with 11 aces this season.

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Scouting Kentucky

Kentucky saw its second five-match winning streak of the season come to an end with a loss at No. 5 Florida in Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 4.

The Wildcats rank third nationally with 13.52 assists per set and sixth with 14.40 kills per set. Kentucky also ranks fifth in the SEC with a .268 hitting percentage. The Wildcats allow opponents to hit .202 and average 13.20 digs and 2.43 blocks per set.

Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye leads Kentucky with 4.40 kills per set, which ranks fourth in the SEC, and has 24 total aces. Outside hitter Morgan Gaerte follows with 3.77 kills per set and 42 blocks this season. Middle blocker Lizzie Carr leads the Wildcats with 1.16 blocks per set and 58 total blocks, which rank sixth in the SEC. She also has 109 kills on a .335 hitting percentage.

Setter Kassie O’Brien ranks second nationally with 11.74 assists per set and leads the SEC with 587 total assists. She also has 31 blocks, 22 kills and 15 aces. Libero Molly Tuozzo averages 3.92 digs per set, which ranks sixth in the SEC, and has 11 aces this season.

LSU is currently on a five-match losing streak against Kentucky. The Tigers’ last win over the Wildcats came in a five-set upset on Sept. 24, 2022, at Memorial Coliseum.

Scouting Tennessee

Tennessee picked up its first SEC victory of the 2026 season with a sweep at Auburn on Oct. 4. Before facing LSU on Sunday afternoon, the Lady Vols will host Ole Miss on Friday night.

Entering the weekend, Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks second nationally with 14.57 kills per set. The Lady Vols also rank third in the conference with a .289 hitting percentage and 13.40 assists per set, with the latter ranking fifth nationally. Tennessee also averages 2.65 blocks and 13.67 digs per set while holding opponents to a .177 hitting percentage.

Outside hitter Kennedi Rogers ranks third in the SEC with 5.11 points and 4.56 kills per set. She also has 25 blocks, including five solo blocks. Rogers is the beneficiary of an experienced setter in Caroline Kerr, who ranks sixth nationally with 10.93 assists per set. Kerr also has 40 kills, 25 blocks, 12 aces and 113 digs this season.

Middle blocker Chelsea Sutton ranks second in the SEC with 1.39 blocks per set and ninth in the conference with a .352 hitting percentage on 60 kills. Libero Raegan Burns leads the Lady Vols with 3.07 digs per set and 129 total digs.

Despite leading the all-time series, LSU is looking to snap a six-match losing streak against Tennessee. The Tigers’ last win over the Lady Vols came in a sweep at the Maravich Center on Oct. 24, 2021. LSU’s last win in Knoxville came seven years ago, on Oct. 11, 2019, when the Tigers won in five sets.