MSU volleyball notched its first ever 2-1 start in Southeastern Conference play with a 3-2 win at LSU Friday, but couldn’t upset Arkansas Sunday.
Friday, Oct. 1
The Lady Dawgs won for the second straight year in Baton Rouge. This time they did it in a come-from-behind effort led by Rachel Cooper and her 22 kills and 16 digs.
The team dug themselves an early hole, losing the first two games 30-22, 30-22. Then the Bulldogs caught fire and went on a 7-0 run to begin the third game, never looking back as they took the 30-25 decision. The Lady Dawgs dominated the fourth game, winning the decision by a 30-24 final tally to force the deciding fifth game.
In the winner-take-all fifth game, State trailed to the Tigers only briefly in the opening minutes before running away with the 15-10 victory and the match.
Head coach Tina Seals said the team’s effort was just what she wanted from them.
“We took another step forward as a program with that win,” Seals said. “LSU has a talented team, and that talent combined with our not playing well early in the match helped put us in a big hole. But I was proud of the way our players made adjustments, dug deep and battled all the way to the end for the win.”
The win marked the second straight weekend that the Lady Dawgs have opened up with a win on the road.
Sunday, Oct. 3
For the second straight Sunday the Lady Dawgs lost on the road with a 1-3 defeat at perennial SEC power Arkansas.
The Bulldogs came out of the gate swinging and were able to best the Razorbacks in the opening game 30-27. This was a change of pace from last weekend when the team came out flat on Sunday after their Friday win at South Carolina.
“We made it a goal to win that first game,” Seals said. “Last week we came out unfocused and we didn’t want that to happen again this week.”
Arkansas rebounded though, as the Bulldogs dropped the second game 30-20. The two teams then played grindingly close volleyball for the next two games.
However, in both games the Lady Razorbacks found a way to squeeze out the win 30-28. Seals said she was proud of her team’s play on Sunday.
“Against a team as good as Arkansas, they did all you could ask. Other than the second game we came out focused for the entire match. You learn things from every win and loss, and as long as we do that we will win eventually. We are headed in the right direction.”
The Lady Bulldogs will resume play Friday night at home against the No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers at 7 p.m. and then host the South Carolina Gamecocks Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission to all home matches is free.