Mississippi State Volleyball Fights to Five Sets, Falls at LSU

Sunday, November 3

Baton Rouge, La.

1:00 PM

Mississippi State

13-11, 2-10SEC

LSU

11-10, 5-6SEC

Mississippi St.

LSU

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Mississippi State Volleyball Fights to Five Sets, Falls at LSU

November 03, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

By Austin Coats, Graduate Assistant/Communications

BATON ROUGE, La. – Mississippi State volleyball came back from down 1-0 and 2-1 to tie and force LSU to five sets on the road at the Pete Maravich Center Sunday (Nov. 3). The Tigers outlasted State, however, in the final set, 17-15, to win the five-frame thriller.

"I'm proud of our fight today," MSU volleyball coach Julie Darty said. "It was a roller coaster of a match and I think that's the part we are trying to figure out and smooth out.

"When we take care of our side and control what we can control, the result is pretty good. We have to find a way to slow it down and settle in, and really make the choice to focus on the serve and pass game if we are going to win sets and matches."

Mississippi State (13-11, 2-10 SEC) split its weekend on the road with the loss to LSU (11-10, 5-6 SEC) after defeating Auburn on Friday (Nov. 1).

"I'm hoping that a weekend of good volleyball on the road will carry over this week and we can bring it back to StarkVegas for a big homestand next weekend," Darty said.

With 45 assists and 13 digs, senior Alleah Stamatis picked up her 10th double-double of the season. Freshman Callie Minshew tallied 14 kills and 13 digs for her fourth of the season.

"Alleah did a great job of commanding the floor, and Callie is becoming an extremely reliable backcourt defender," Darty said.

On the weekend, Minshew tallied 21 kills and 23 digs with double-digit dig performances in both matches.

After falling 25-9 in the third set, the Bulldogs bounced back with a 25-22 win in the fourth set to force the fifth frame. MSU led for the majority of the final set, but LSU struck late to take the lead. State spoiled two LSU match points, but the Tigers pulled through in extra points, 17-15.

"I'm proud of the response after set three," Darty said. "We could have just rolled over and let them have it, but we made a decision and I am proud of the effort the girls put forth. That fifth set was a fight. It was back and forth and some errors in that set got us a little tight and worried."

Five Bulldogs put up double-digit digs, led by sophomore Paige Shaw's 14. Stamatis, Minshew and freshman Makenzie Jordan each had 13, and senior libero Kanani Price tallied 12.

On the attack, four MSU student-athletes collected double-digit kills as Minshew and sophomore Deja Robinson picked up 14 apiece. Senior Amarrah Cooks and sophomore Gabby Waden had each had 10, and Cooks did so on a .409 hitting percentage.

"Amarrah worked super hard early to establish herself, and I think Deja really came alive towards the end," Darty said.

First Set (LSU 25, Mississippi State 23)

Mississippi State came out of a Julie Darty timeout firing. Down 12-7, the Bulldogs scored six of the next seven points to knot it up at 13-13. LSU regained its lead, but the Bulldogs once again made it close, coming within one twice near the end.

Second Set (Mississippi State 25, LSU 20)

After and LSU attack error gave MSU a 6-5 lead, the Bulldogs never allowed the Tigers back in front in the second set. Cooks and Robinson each had four kills in the set victory.

Third Set (LSU 25, Mississippi State 9)

LSU found its groove early in the third set and never really lost it while taking a 2-1 match lead.

Fourth Set (Mississippi State 25, LSU 22)

Robinson and Minshew powered State to victory in the fourth set, with six and five kills apiece. Up 20-12, LSU made an 8-2 run that threatened the Bulldogs. Darty's squad rallied back, however, to earn a 2-2 match tie.

Fifth Set (LSU 17, Mississippi State 15)

MSU led early in the final set, but never by more than two points. LSU took a 13-12 lead, and the Bulldogs never fully recovered. With LSU match point, a kill from Waden and a Tiger attack error tied it at 14-14. After MSU spoiled another match point, the Tigers put together consecutive kills to clinch the set and match victory.

Up Next
Following a three-match road stretch, the Bulldogs will host a trio of contests at home in the Newell-Grissom Building. The homestand begins Friday, Nov. 8, with a 7 p.m. rematch against South Carolina.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.