Vanderbilt Volleyball (5-11) fought hard in a five-set thriller against LSU but ultimately fell, 3-2. After building an early 2-1 set lead, the Commodores couldn’t sustain their momentum as the Tigers rallied back in the final two sets. Jackie Moore’s 23 kills and 7 blocks led Vanderbilt’s offensive effort in the hard-fought conference match.
Set 1
The ‘Dores gained early momentum as Moore established her presence at the net. Vanderbilt’s offensive power propelled them to a commanding 9-4 lead, with Moore connecting on four of her first five kill attempts.
Halfway through the set, though, LSU came roaring back. Aly Kirkoff entered to serve and sparked a 7-0 run that included an ace and kills from Jurnee Robinson and Nia Washington. Three consecutive blocks — a solo by Jones and two assisted efforts — cut Vanderbilt’s lead to 9-8 and forced a Commodore timeout.
Moore steadied Vanderbilt with back-to-back kills out of the timeout, and Soerensen added one of her own to push the lead back at 12-8. The teams traded points through the middle stages, with neither able to pull away. At 15-14, the momentum shifted again as Vanderbilt’s defense tightened.
Blocks by Mia Soerensen and Moore, combined with consistent setting from Isabelle Bareford, allowed the Commodores to build a 21-17 cushion. Two kills from Animashaun extended the lead to 23-17, and Moore sealed the set at 25-18 with her seventh kill on an assist from Bareford.
Set 2
LSU came out with renewed energy in the second set, immediately putting Vanderbilt on its heels. Jessica Jones recorded a kill on the opening point, and two attack errors by Reese Animashaun gave the Tigers a quick 3-0 lead. Robinson added back-to-back kills to make it 4-0 before Kamryn Chaney finally got the ‘Dores on board.
After a Soerensen substitution, LSU extended its lead. Kirkoff entered to serve at 5-1 and delivered an ace. Blocks by Jones and Lauren Brooker, combined with a Washington kill, extended the LSU lead to 10-4. Another Kirkoff ace made it 12-4, forcing Nelson to call Vanderbilt’s second timeout of the set.
The ‘Dores showed brief signs of life with kills from Elli Kinney and Soerensen, but LSU’s lead remained comfortable at 14-6. Service errors plagued Vanderbilt throughout the set, with Bareford, Animashaun, Kinney and Hailee Mack all misfiring from the line.
Vanderbilt tried to chip away late in the set. Chaney recorded a kill at 16-8 to cut into the deficit. The teams exchanged service errors through the middle stretch, with neither able to establish a rhythm. At 20-11, Sydney Conley entered and delivered a kill, but it wasn’t nearly enough to mount a comeback.
Soerensen provided a highlight reel kill at 24-15 to stave off set point. However, Robinson ended the set immediately after, powering home a kill on an assist from Takyla Brown to give LSU a 25-15 victory and even the match at one set apiece.
Set 3
Moore opened the third set the same way she started the match — with a kill that set the tone for Vanderbilt. Robinson answered immediately for LSU, though, and Jones followed it up with an ace that gave the Tigers the early 2-1 lead.
The Commodores responded with a crucial block assist by Soerensen and Moore that tied it at 2-2. After a Chaney service error, Moore and Dunlap combined for back-to-back kills to give Vanderbilt a 4-3 edge. Robinson and Lee answered for LSU to tie the score at 4-4, but Soerensen’s athletic kill put the Dores back ahead at 5-4.
Vanderbilt found its groove after the media timeout. Kayla Dunlap recorded a kill, and Mack followed with a service ace that had the Memorial Gym crowd on its feet. Smith answered with a kill for LSU, but Animashaun and Bareford connected to make it 8-7
Moore’s eleventh kill of the match at 10-7 forced an LSU timeout. The junior was everywhere — a kill from Kinney’s assist made it 10-8 before Chaney delivered a solo block that freed the ‘Dores from a string of service errors.
Washington and Robinson tried to mount a comeback with kills that cut it to 16-11, but an LSU service error gave Vanderbilt breathing room. The Tigers earned two more points with a kill by Angelina Lee, followed by an ace by Jurnee Robinson. The Commodores ended this stretch with block assists by Dunlap and Soerensen, leaving Memorial Gym roaring.
The Commodores maintained their composure down the stretch. A Dunlap block and contributions from Chaney pushed Vanderbilt’s lead to 21-18. After Nelson’s first timeout, LSU committed back-to-back service errors to hand Vanderbilt a 23-18 advantage. Robinson tried to rally the Tigers with a kill at 23-19, but Moore delivered the decisive blow at set point, giving Vanderbilt a 25-19 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
Set 4
The fourth set began with Vanderbilt’s serve, but Robinson immediately seized momentum with a kill to give LSU the opening point. Neither team could gain separation in the early part of the set. Lee and Animashaun exchanged kills, and Jones tied it at 5-5 before a Kirkoff service error put the Commodores ahead. Animashaun sparked a brief run with a block assist aside Chaney and then delivered a service ace to push Vanderbilt’s lead to 8-5 before an LSU timeout.
The middle portion of the set remained deadlocked. Moore and Animashaun recorded kills to keep Vanderbilt ahead, but LSU answered every time. At 14-14, the set hung in the balance as neither team had broken away.
LSU later seized control with a decisive run. A kill by Lee put the Tigers ahead, and a block assist by Washington and Jones, followed by a Laurel Cassidy ace, extended the lead to 17-14. Bareford and Dunlap tried to keep Vanderbilt close, but Washington took over from the service line.
Robinson delivered three kills during a stretch that pushed LSU’s lead to 22-16. The ‘Dores showed fight late — Moore recorded back-to-back kills and combined with Bareford for a block assist to cut it to 22-21, bringing the crowd in Memorial back to life.
Robinson proved unstoppable down the stretch, though. A kill made it 23-21, before Lee sealed it for the Tigers at 25-21 to force a fifth set.
Set 5
LSU came out with urgency in the decisive fifth set, and Washington set the tone immediately. She opened with a service ace that was just out of reach for Mack, and Jones followed it with a kill to make it 2-0. A block assist by Jones and Robinson on Moore’s attack, followed by another Washington ace, gave the Tigers a stunning 4-0 lead.
An LSU attack error finally got the Commodores on the scoreboard at 4-1, but Jones answered immediately with a kill. A block assist by Robinson and Lee on another Moore attack error extended LSU’s lead to 6-1.
Vanderbilt then started showing signs of life. A block assist by Chaney and Moore sparked a 4-0 run that included a Moore kill, a solo block by Animashaun and a Chaney service ace to cut the deficit to 6-5. Memorial Gym erupted, sensing a comeback.
Out of the timeout, Chaney redeemed herself with a kill at 12-9, and Moore added another at 12-10 to give the Commodores some hope. But another Chaney attack error brought LSU to match point at 14-10.
Washington stepped to the service line with the match in her hands, and Robinson delivered the final blow — a kill on an assist from Brooker — to seal the fifth set victory and give LSU a hard-fought 3-2 win.
Up next, Vanderbilt will host Ole Miss at Memorial Gym on Sunday, October 19 at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
