In a game between the two top teams of the SEC West, the Aggies fell to the LSU Tigers after five sets for their third straight loss.
The Aggies and Tigers had nine ties and four lead changes in the first match, but consecutive blocks by Jazzmin Babers gave the Aggies a 15-11 advantage in the set that would close at 25-20 with a kill by senior outside hitter Ashley Vrana.
The Aggies never gave up the lead in the second set and would lead by as much as 11 points and close out the set on a Shelby Sullivan kill at 25-16.
After the intermission, the Aggies struggled in the beginning of the match, eventually evening the score to 10 with an ace by sophomore middle blocker Shelby Sullivan. They were unable to capitalize on the ace and fell in the set 25-19.
“It’s our mental game – we score a few points and we think we are the best in the nation,” head coach Laurie Corbelli said. “But we give up three points and we think we are the worst team in the nation.”
During the fourth set, the Aggies offensive attack hit only.054 and the Tigers out-blocked the Aggies three to one to take the match at 25-18 and force a fifth set.
“Blocking did change,” Corbelli said. “We were early. We were impatient. We tried too hard and most of it was blocking and the easy balls we put up for [senior setter Allie Sawatzky] for her to set up or attack pulled her off the net.”
Early in the deciding fifth set, consecutive kills by Sierra Patrick gave the Aggies a 5-3 lead, but the Tigers would ultimately take the set and match.
“There is no excuse,” Corbelli said. “We got scared of losing. LSU was more spirited and more focused, our reaction which has been our big issue as of late is fear, and we hold back we are afraid.”
Sawatzky fell one dig short of her fifth triple double and finished with 10 kills, 48 assist and nine digs. Sierra Patrick led the team with 15 kills. The Aggies were outhit .237 to .209 as a team and the Tigers out-blocked the Aggies 11 to 8.5.
The Aggies will welcome the Bulldogs of Mississippi State at 6 p.m. Friday to Reed Arena.