Lady Vols Lose 3-2 to LSU in Volleyball Finale

Friday, November 24

Knoxville

7:00 PM

University of Tennessee

12-15, 5-13SEC

LSU

20-9, 11-7SEC

LSU

Tennessee

November 24, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee sophomore Tessa Grubbs matched her career high with 23 kills but the Lady Volunteers volleyball teem lost to LSU 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-9) on Friday to conclude the season at Thompson-Boling Arena.

The Lady Vols (12-15, 5-13 SEC) won the first two sets, but LSU (20-9, 11-7) turned the corner in a back-and-forth third set and reclaimed momentum.

Freshman outside hitter Madison Coulter finished with 12 kills, and redshirt sophomore Breana Jeter added 10 kills. Freshman setter Callie Williams recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 55 assists and 10 digs.

In the first set, Tennessee broke a 7-7 tie by winning eight of the next 11 points. Stephanie Buss recorded a kill to cap the streak and give the Lady Vols a 15-10 lead. Tennessee led the rest of the set, hitting at a .406 clip while limiting LSU to .195. Grubbs had six kills in the set as Tennessee finished the first frame, 25-19.

The Vols led wire to wire in the second set, jumping ahead 3-0 to start and maintaining their lead from there. Tennessee led by as many as eight points in the set, going up 21-13 on a kill by Coulter. LSU foiled two set points, but Callie Williams snuck an attack deep in the court to finish the set 25-21.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle with 13 ties and eight lead changes. The Vols led 22-21 on a kill by Coulter, but LSU won four of the last five points to take the set 25-23.

LSU swept up the fourth set late, winning four consecutive points to break a 20-20 tie. The Lady Vols saved two set points, but LSU won the set 25-22 on a Tennessee service error into the net.

The Tigers won seven consecutive points in the fifth set to take an 8-4 lead and stayed in front to close the match. Taylor Bannister led LSU with 16 kills and Jacqui Armer and Toni Rodriguez added 15 each.

Tennessee played seven five-set matches during the season, going 2-5.

SENIORS HONORED: Tennessee's four-player senior class of Stephanie Buss (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Kendra Turner (LaPlace, La.), Kanisha Jimenez (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) and Mackenzie Cooler (Ridgeland, S.C.) was honored before the game. All four seniors saw action in their final game, and Buss earned a start, finishing with nine kills.