Jurnee Robinson, standing in the center of the court, tossed the ball up with a determined look on her face. She swung her arm back with all her might and made forceful contact with the ball, sending it flying over the net and past the opposing team’s players. The loud thud echoed through the arena as it hit the floor, but to the disappointment of the cheering crowd, it was declared out of bounds.
This was just one of many disappointing moments for LSU’s volleyball team during their match against the defending national champions, the Texas Longhorns. Despite playing in front of a record-breaking crowd of 3,885 fans and having 60 alumni in attendance, the Tigers couldn’t seem to catch a break.
The first set started off strong for Texas, with two quick points from kills by Madison Skinner and a costly error from LSU’s Jessica Jones. The Tigers struggled with errors throughout the game, something that has plagued them in recent matches. Head coach Tonya Johnson emphasized that minimizing these errors is crucial to winning games.
While Jurnee Robinson had an impressive 17 kills overall, she also racked up four attack errors in the first set alone. Still, she led her team in kills followed by Angelina Lee and Lainee Pyles.
Despite their efforts, LSU couldn’t keep up with Texas’s physicality and lost the first set 25-20. In the second set, they fell behind even further as Texas dominated with a nine-point lead at one point. Johnson expressed frustration with allowing teams to go on multiple point runs.
Facing off against Marianna Singletary, who ranks No. 38 in blocks per set in the NCAA, proved to be a daunting task for LSU as they lost their second set 25-20.
In the third set, LSU showed signs of potential as they tied scores with Texas several times. But ultimately, they were unable to defeat the Longhorns and lost the set 25-15, resulting in a sweep for Texas. Although graduate setter Bailey Ortega tried to stay positive, she couldn’t deny that they were struggling against their opponents.
Despite its best efforts, LSU couldn’t keep up with Texas and suffered another loss on their record.
Despite being ranked No. 6 in the SEC for hitting percentage and No. 11 for kills, Texas dominated the match against LSU, leaving no room for surprise. Coach Johnson acknowledged their team’s efforts but also noted that it wasn’t enough to secure a win. With this loss adding to their losing streak, LSU has come to realize that there is room for improvement as they move forward. Ortega, an LSU player, highlighted the need to focus on defense and positioning their hitters better. As they prepare for their next game against Mississippi State, the Tigers must address their errors and find ways to maintain their confidence throughout the match if they hope to turn things around.
Otherwise, the outlook may not be promising for LSU volleyball on Friday.
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