Tigers play Alabama to draw
Senior striker Carlie Banks netted her second goal of the season in the 44th minute and junior goalkeeper Megan Kinneman made a career-high 11 saves as the LSU soccer team played the Alabama Crimson Tide to a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
The Tigers (4-2-3, 0-1-1 Southeastern Conference) picked up their first point in Southeastern Conference play this season while running their unbeaten streak against the Crimson Tide (5-2-1, 0-1-1) to seven straight matches.
LSU is 5-0-2 against its SEC West rival since the 2006 season.
Banks took a pass from Jade Kovacevic with just under two minutes to play in the first half and volleyed it over Crimson Tide goalkeeper Shelby Church.
Sophomore striker Pia Rijsdijk scored the equalizer for Alabama from eight yards out less than six minutes into the second half.
The Tigers wrap up a 10-game homestand next weekend as they host Auburn at 7 p.m. Friday and Kentucky at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Volleyball
South Carolina 3, LSU 2: In Columbia, S.C., the LSU volleyball team was unable to hold 2-1 advantage as South Carolina charged back to take the final two sets for a 3-2 win (25-18, 26-28, 16-25, 25-18, 15-12) on Sunday.
The Tigers (4-7, 0-2 SEC) dropped back-to-back matches to start SEC play for the first time since the 2008 season, while South Carolina (13-0, 2-0) maintained its best start in program history. The Gamecocks also snapped LSU’s seven-match winning streak in the series dating back to 2008.
LSU compiled a .256 to .240 hitting percentage edge and outblocked the Gamecocks 17-10. The 17 blocks were a season-high for the Tigers.
“I can’t ask this team to play any harder and with more heart than they did during this match,” LSU coach Fran Flory said. “I thought everybody did a great job of focusing and doing their job. We were really and truly a couple of touches away from winning the match. We were a lot of touches away from winning Friday at Alabama so this is a step in the right direction.”
The Tigers had three players provide double-digit kills, led by Madie Jones’ season-high 18 on .429 hitting. Desiree Elliott had 16 kills and nine blocks.
Helen Boyle had 15 kills and nine digs. Jackie Gerig had 29 assists and seven digs in her first career start. Malorie Pardo had 21 assists and 12 digs. Sam Delahoussaye had 14 digs.
South Carolina was led by Juliette Thevenin’s 22 kills and 11 digs. Cara Howley had 11 kills, eight digs and five blocks. Bethanie Thomas had nine kills and 14 digs, and Darian Dozer had nine and five blocks. Paige Wheeler had 18 digs.