Press Release courtesy of LSU Athletics
After winning its fifth-straight match last week and a rare open weekend, the LSU volleyball team (16-4, 7-2 SEC) will look to continue the momentum as the Tigers play host to No. 6 ranked Kentucky (17-2, 8-0 SEC) Friday at 7 p.m. in the Maravich Center.
The matchup will be aired live on SEC Network+. Fans can access the match online through WatchESPN.com and the app. Lyn Rollins and Garrett Walvoord will be on the call.
Fran’s Final Thoughts
On Friday’s match…
“We are excited to play one of the best teams in the country and the forerunner for the SEC championship. Kentucky is super talented and provides challenges at every position. Our team is not one to shy away from a challenge. They are excited for the opportunity and look forward to getting back on the court to compete.”
On the last match against Kentucky…
“That match kind of kick started us a little bit. I don’t think our offense did a bad job against them last time. We were pretty efficient and played clean, other than serve receive. We have improved that portion of our game since that point. Kentucky put the pressure on us and we are prepared for them.”
Promotions
GREEK NIGHT
A special prize will be given to the fraternity or sorority with the highest attendance. Pop Sockets will be given out to the first 500 fans in attendance.
Last Time Out
LSU is coming off its fifth-straight victory, a five-set thriller over Ole Miss. The Tigers defeated the Rebels by scores of 25-22, 27-25, 25-23, 30-28 and 19-17. Taylor Bannister led the team with a match-high 21 kills. Gina Tillis registered her eighth double-double on the year with 15 kills and a career-high 23 digs. Tillis also reach 1,000 career kills in the second set. She became the 22nd Tiger in program history to reach the feat.
A Look at Kentucky
No. 6 Kentucky comes in to Baton Rouge with a perfect SEC record at 8-0 and is 17-2 on the year. The Wildcats are currently on a 12-game winning streak. Kentucky leads the conference in three categories: hitting percentage (.326), assists (13.74) per set and kills (15.09). Leah Edmond, who is second in the league in kills per set at 4.40, is hitting .316 and has a total of 299 kills on the year. Madison Lilley will direct the offense as she averages 12.10 assists per set. Gabby Curry anchors the back row with a total of 191 digs at 2.89 per set.
All-Time vs. Kentucky
Kentucky leads the all-time series 39-24 and has won the last four matches, including a 3-0 win over the Tigers on September 24. The last time the Tigers defeated Kentucky was on October 19, 2014 when Kentucky was ranked No. 14 in the nation, which is the last time the Tigers defeated a ranked opponent. The last time the Tigers beat a ranked opponent at home was October, 10, 2010, defeating No. 22 Tennessee in four sets. The highest ranked opponent that the Tigers have defeated under the direction of Fran Flory was No. 6 Florida at home on October 11, 2009.
Team Notes
>> This week, LSU sits in third place of the conference behind No. 6 Kentucky and No. 4 Florida.
>> In the SEC, the Tigers rank fifth in hitting percentage at .237 and ranks third in opponent hitting percentage at .186. LSU is fourth in the league in blocks, averaging 2.57 per set.
>> Taylor Bannister ranks eighth in the league with 3.43 kills per set. Anna Zwiebel is sixth among the SEC in assists at 9.90 per set. Jacqui Armer is fourth in the league in blocks per set at 1.33. Raigen Cianciulli is averaging 4.07 digs per set which is sixth-best in the SEC.
>> In the last meeting against Kentucky, the Tigers fell in three sets. The Tigers put together a solid effort on offense but struggled defensively. Taylor Bannister led the team with nine kills, while Gina Tillis led with seven digs.
Follow LSU Volleyball
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger volleyball, visit www.lsusports.net/volleyball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsuvolleyball along with @lsuvolleyball and @lsucoachfran on Twitter and @lsuvolleyball on Instagram.
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