KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The LSU Volleyball team fell to Tennessee in five sets, wrapping up the longest season in program history which started 159 days ago.

The Tigers were able to win a back-and-forth first set, 28-26. Tennessee won the second set, 25-23. The Volunteers won the third set, 25-16. LSU won the fourth set, 25-18, and forced a fifth set to decide a match winner. The Volunteers won the fifth set, 15-11, and won the match.

“This match was as close as it could have been,” said head coach Fran Flory. “I’m super proud of our kids. They fought as hard as they possibly could and they worked super hard. A great learning experience and great job being able to get people some extra opportunities and playing time.”

The 2020-21 season will go down as the only season in which the Tigers have played countable volleyball matches in a spring semester. After splitting six matches in the fall, the Tigers went 6-10 throughout the unprecedented spring season.

Taylor Bannister finished the season with 385 kills, seeing action in all 88 of LSU’s sets to finish the season with 4.38 kills per set, the fifth-highest mark in program history. Bannister owns three of the top eight kills per set averages in program history.

The Tigers were led in kills by Taylor Bannister, who finished with 22. She also had 16 digs, giving her a double-double for the match. Hannah Brister added 11 kills and Whitney Foreman finished with 10.

Karli Rose finished with 26 assists to lead the team. She also added 13 digs, giving her a double-double for the afternoon. Alia Williams also added 20 assists of her own to help pace the match for LSU.

Aside from Bannister and Rose, two other Tigers finished with double-digit digs. Raigen Cianciulli had 19 and Brister finished with 11, giving her a double-double with kills and digs.

How it Happened 

Set 1 

• Tennessee took an early 3-0 lead.

• The scoring picked up for both teams as the set went on. The Volunteers held an 11-6 lead.

• At the media timeout, Tennessee led LSU, 15-9.

• Back-to-back kills by Anita Anwusi and Alia Williams pulled LSU within four, trailing 17-13.

• The score was 18-15 in favor of Tennessee as LSU continued to battle back. The Volunteers called a timeout.

• After kills by Taylor Bannister and Whitney Foreman, LSU trailed Tennessee by two, 19-17.

•  The Tigers were able to tie the score at 20.

• The score was tied at 22 after a Paige Flickinger kill gave the Tigers a point.

• Neither team could take a lead as the set became tied at 24.

• LSU took a timeout, trailing 25-24.

• The Tigers evened it up at 25 after a Hannah Brister kill.

• The teams traded points and the score was tied at 26.

• LSU was eventually able to win the set, 28-26.

Set 2

• The Volunteers quickly jumped out to a 5-2 lead over LSU

• The teams traded points as Tennessee held a 10-7 lead.

• LSU called a timeout, trailing 13-7.

• The Tigers used a 3-0 scoring run with kills by Bannister and Flickinger to cut Tennessee’s lead to four. LSU trailed 16-12.

• After a Whitney Foreman kill, the Tigers only trailed by three.

• After a Bannister kill, the score was tied at 21.

• The Volunteers eventually won the set, 25-23.

Set 3

• Both teams battled to open the set with Tennessee taking a 7-3 lead over the Tigers.

• The teams continued to battle as the Volunteers led LSU, 12-6.

• LSU called a timeout as it trailed Tennessee, 16-9.

• Tennessee continued to hold the lead over the Tigers, 20-12.

• LSU’s comeback effort fell short as the Volunteers won the set, 25-16.

Set 4

• The score was even at three as both teams traded points.

• Tennessee took a narrow 8-6 lead over LSU.

• The Tigers and Volunteers continued to battle and the score was tied at 10.

• LSU was able to take the lead, going up 12-11 on Tennessee.

• The Volunteers rallied and took the lead, 14-13.

• At the media timeout, Tennessee had a slim 15-14 lead over LSU.

• LSU used a 4-0 scoring run with back-to-back kills by Bannister to take an 18-16 lead and forced the Volunteers to call a timeout.

• The Tigers took a 20-16 lead as the Volunteers called another timeout.

• LSU finished won the set, 25-18.

Set 5

• The teams started the last set tied at two.

• Both teams battled, and at the media timeout, Tennessee had an 8-6 lead over the Tigers in the final set.

• LSU took a timeout, trailing 10-6.

• The Volunteers  eventually won the set, 15-11.