Mississippi State’s volleyball team twice rebounded from a one-set deficit to record an 18-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12 victory over LSU on Saturday at the Newell-Grissom Building.
The Bulldogs (12-4, 3-1 SEC) have won three of their first four SEC matches for the second time in program history and defeated the Tigers (5-8. 1-3) in consecutive matches for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Mississippi State overcame 7-4, 8-5 and 9-6 deficits during the fifth set.
Gabby Waden led the way with a team-high 15 kills, including three consecutive kills to turn a 10-8 hole into an 11-10 advantage during the final set.
Lauren Myrick added 9 kills and 15 digs while converting 35 of 37 in the serve-receive game. Shania Cromartie added a solid all-around effort with 8 kills, 7 digs and 4 blocks.
Lilly Gunter wore the libero jersey and came away with 25 digs, her second-highest career output. She was 20 for 20 in the serve-pass game and recorded 4 assists.
Mississippi State setters Gabby Coulter and Margaret Dean combined for 47 assists and 18 digs. Coulter posted her sixth double-double with 22 assists and 10 digs, with Dean adding 25 dimes and 8 digs.
Mississippi State next will face defending national champion Kentucky at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The match against the No. 6 Wildcats will be televised nationally by ESPNU and the ESPN app at www.ESPN.com/watch
Men’s tennis
Bulldogs post five wins against Alabama
Mississippi State finished the MSU Bulldog Invitational on Sunday with four singles victories and a doubles win against players from one of their Southeastern Conference rivals, Alabama.
One of those wins came in upset fashion as Gregor Ramskogler defeated No. 50 Patrick Kaukovalta 7-5, 7-6 (7-2).
It was just the second career singles win over a ranked opponent for Ramskogler and his first since he knocked off then-No. 51 Josh Peck of North Carolina at the ITA National Fall Championships on Nov. 7, 2019.
No. 36 Nemanja Malesevic defeated Enzo Aguiard 6-3, 7-5, and No. 54 Davide Tortora topped Rudi Christiansen 6-4, 6-4.
The Bulldogs’ highest-ranked singles competitor – No. 27 Florian Broska – lost his first set 6-4 but battled back to win 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) over Filip Planinsek. It was the second time on the weekend that Broska rallied after dropping his first set.
Broska and Ramskogler also found success against the Crimson Tide in doubles as well, earning a 6-1 win over Aguiard and Planinsek. The sixth-ranked doubles tandem from State went undefeated forthe weekend.
MSU finished 19-8 overall over the weekend, including a 13-5 singles mark and a 6-3 record in doubles. The tournament also featured players from Michigan, Tulane and Wichita State.
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