HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – With its back against the wall, the LSU beach volleyball swept through two elimination matches against South Carolina and Tulane on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the CCSA Tournament.
“There was no backup plan,” LSU beach volleyball coach Russell Brock said, “and I like how we play with our backs against the wall.”
LSU faces Florida State Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for an opportunity to advance to the championship match at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against TCU. The Tigers will have an opportunity to avenge its earlier loss to Florida State on Thursday.
“I’m looking forward to another shot at Florida State,” Brock said. “They are playing really well. They took it all the way down to the wire against TCU, so we know that they are going to be hungry for another shot at them (TCU) as well. It’s going to be a three-way battle royale. We want to play in a way that gives us a shot to beat those teams.”
After the earlier win over South Carolina, Sierra Caffo and Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope got things rolling in the afternoon match vs. Tulane. The LSU duo took the first set, 21-18, before dominating the second set, 21-8. On Court 2, Kylie Deberg and Kelli Greene-Agnew won in set one, 21-15, and sailed to a 21-9 win in the second set. Grace Seits and Ellie Shank clinched the match for LSU on Court 4, 21-19 and 21-15.
The Tigers needed three sets on Courts 1 and 3 to earn the sweep. On Court 3, Reilly Allred and Holly Carlton earned their 13th third set win of the year. The LSU duo took the first set, 21-12, before dropping the second, 21-17. In the deciding set they won, 15-8. Bella Bauman and Parker Bracken secured the sweep on Court 1. They won the first set, 21-17 and fell in the second, 21-16. They closed it out in the third, 21-9.
In the first match of the day, Kylie Deberg and Kelli Greene-Agnew got LSU on the board first with a 21-13 and 21-16 win on Court 2. Grace Seits and Ellie Shank quickly followed suit on Court 4, 21-11 and 21-15. The Tigers clinched the match when Reilly Allred and JHolly Carlton took care of business in straight sets on Court 3, 21-15 and 21-18.
Sierra Caffo and Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope kept the Tigers rolling on Court 5 in straight sets, 21-15 and 21-18. Bella Bauman and Parker Bracken were the only LSU duo to go three sets. They fell in the first set, 21-17, but came back to take the next two, 21-15 and 18-16, to clinch the sweep.
LSU 5, South Carolina 0
- LSU Bella Bauman/Parker Bracken def. SC Skylar Allen/Whitney Ballard; 17-21, 21-15, 18-16
- LSU Kylie Deberg/Kelli Greene-Agnew def. SC Lauren Wilcock/Jordan Smith; 21-13, 21-16
- LSU Holly Carlton/Reilly Allred def. SC Kaeli Crew/Hannah Mackenhausen; 21-15, 21-18
- LSU Grace Seits/Ellie Shank def. SC Alyssa Keller/Abby Carroll; 21-11, 21-15
- LSU Sierra Caffo/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope def. SC Kennedy Westendorff/Samantha Ansel; 21-15, 21-18
LSU 5, Tulane 0
- LSU Bella Bauman/Parker Bracken def. Tulane Kendall Peters/Maddie Speicher; 21-17, 16-21, 15-9
- LSU Kylie Deberg/Kelli Greene-Agnew def. Tulane Samantha Mehlman/Sara Hall; 21-15, 21-9
- LSU Holly Carlton/Reilly Allred def. Tulane Ashton Mares/Lara Torruella; 21-12, 17-21, 15-8
- LSU Grace Seits/Ellie Shank def. Tulane Josie Cole/Samantha Green; 21-19, 21-15
- LSU Sierra Caffo/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope def. Tulane Haley Gibson/Savka Popovic; 21-18, 21-8
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