Tide Volleyball Falls to LSU, 3-0
10/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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The Alabama volleyball team dropped its second straight match Sunday afternoon, falling 3-0 to the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide falls to 20-5 on the season, 8-4 in the Southeastern Conference. LSU improves to 18-5 overall, 8-4 in the SEC.
The Tigers avenged an earlier loss to the Tide by winning 30-23, 30-20 and 30-23 in handing Alabama just its second three game loss of the season. Alabama had defeated then No. 24 LSU on September 30 in Tuscaloosa.
“I’m disappointed in our preparation to play this match today,” Alabama head coach Judy Green said. “I’m disappointed that our team doesn’t understand that when you play a team the second time around, especially a team that you have beaten, that team is going to have an extra ounce of hunger the next time you play.”
LSU controlled the match from start to finish, hitting .275 while holding the Tide to its lowest hitting percentage of the season at .102. The Tigers also limited UA to just 33 kills on the day and had a 13-3 advantage in service aces.
“LSU played very, very well,” Green said. “They won every big point and anything that could go their way today did.”
Sophomore Bridget Fuentez was UA’s only player to reach double figures in kills, recording 12 on the afternoon as well as leading the Tide in hitting with a .229 percentage. Senior Jessica Yearout and freshman Amy Pauly led Alabama defensively with 13 digs and eight digs respectively.
“On the bright side, we hit the ball very well from the outside,” Green said. “Bridget Fuentez had a nice game and I thought that Amy Pauly played great defense today.”
Marina Skender led the way for the Tigers with 10 kills and 12 assists as well as five aces. Jelena Mijatovic and Kyna Washington added 11 kills each for LSU.
“My greatest concern about our team is what will this outcome lead us to be a week from now,” Green said. “We will find out the true character of our team over the next two weeks. We have to learn that we have to practice hard every day of every week to get better as a team and that has to happen on a consistent basis.”
Alabama returns home next Friday night to face the No. 4 Florida Gators at 7:00 for the final home weekend of the season prior to the SEC Tournament being played in the CAVE. The Tide will celebrate Senior Day against Georgia on Sunday afternoon at 3:00.
