LSU volleyball clinches share of SEC crown

• Advocate news services
• Published: Nov 23, 2009

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The No. 17 LSU volleyball team sent its senior class of Brittnee Cooper, Sam Dabbs, Lauren DeGirolamo and Marina Skender off with a 3-0 triumph, (25-12, 27-25, 25-19) over Alabama to conclude the Southeastern Conference regular season Sunday at the Maravich Center.

LSU (24-5, 18-2 SEC) pushed its winning streak to nine matches and completed its third consecutive undefeated season against the SEC Western Division. The Tigers also clinched a share of the overall SEC regular season title as No. 13 Florida upended No. 10 Kentucky in four sets.

“It was certainly special for our seniors to end (the regular season) with a win on their home court,” LSU coach Fran Flory said in a news release. “We’re hopeful that we’ll get a chance (to host) the NCAAs, but you never know, so we knew we had to get this one today. We knew that Alabama was a great team, and we would have to really come to play. Traditionally, a lot of schools struggle with senior night, but our group plays well on senior night because they’re so devoted and so loyal to the people that have walked in their shoes before them. I couldn’t be prouder of our group.”

Sam Dabbs had 35 assists, eight kills and three blocks. 

Lauren DeGirolamo added four kills to become the 17th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000 career kills. She also reeled in a career-best 21 digs and tacked on three blocks.

Marina Skender had 11 kills and notched nine digs, while Brittnee Cooper popped eight kills and recorded a match-high five blocks.

Angela Bensend and Michele Williams chipped in seven kills apiece. Lauren Waclawczyk had 15 digs for the Tigers.

LSU wraps up the regular season Friday at Rice, which qualified for the NCAA tournament by winning the Conference USA tournament. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. and live stats are available in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net.

Men’s golf

PETERSON READY TO PLAY IN ALL-AMERICA GOLF CLASSIC: LSU All-American John Peterson will join 31 of the top college golfers from across the country in El Paso, Texas, to compete in the 35th annual Western Refining College All-American Golf Classic beginning today at the El Paso Country Club.

The Sun Bowl Association hosts he annual 54-hole event, and this year’s championship will return to the par-71, 6,837-yard layout at El Paso Country Club.

With 32 competitors in this year’s field, the Western Refining College All-American Golf Classic features the largest field in the history of the event, breaking the previous record of 31 in 2005.

Peterson is one of six Golfweek preseason All-America selections competing in the event, joining Russell Henley of Georgia, Matt Hill of North Carolina State, Morgan Hoffman of Oklahoma State, Scott Langley of Illinois and Nick Taylor of Washington.