The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
LSU
Volleyball Set To Host LSU
11/10/2021 | Volleyball
Rebels Kick Off Homestand with Pair of Matches Against LSU
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OLE MISS (17-6, 6-6 SEC) vs. LSU (10-12, 6-7 SEC) Thursday & Friday, Nov. 11-12 • 6 p.m. CT • Oxford, Miss. Gillom Center  |
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| Ole Miss Notes (PDF) • LSU Notes (PDF) • SEC Notes (PDF) |
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| Thursday, Nov. 11 vs. LSU 6 p.m. CT |
Friday, Nov. 12 vs. LSU 6 p.m. CT |
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| Watch | Live Stats | Watch | Live Stats |
RALLY POINTS
• After dropping a tough road match at No. 22 Tennessee, the Rebels return home for a pair of contests with LSU. The Rebels are 4-1 in their last five matches, including four straight wins in SEC play for the first time since 2019.
• Last season, the Rebels lone victory came in a five-set thriller in Baton Rouge. Banwarth & Co. are looking to win back-to-back matches against the Tigers for the first time since Ole Miss won three straight from 2015-2016.
• The Rebel offense has been on a tear recently, hitting at a .383 clip in the first match against Mizzou. This marked the highest hitting percentage in an SEC match by the Rebels since 2014. Ole Miss bested that mark a week later, hitting .389 in the second match against the Gamecocks.
• After taking over the libero role Riley Fischer, continues to pile up career bests. In the first match against South Carolina, Fischer totaled a career-high 21 digs, the most by a Rebel in a single match this season.
• With one block in the loss at No. 22 Tennessee, Aubrey Sultemeier cracked the top-five in the Rebel record book with her 287th career block. The senior is currently averaging 0.80 blocks per set.
• Former Big 12 Co-Setter of the Year Kylee McLaughlin continues to make an impact for the Rebels after spending two years at Oklahoma. McLaughlin recorded her 4,000 career assist earlier this season against Kentucky and ranks 13th among active players in total assists. The Texas native also earned SEC accolades as the Player and Setter of the Week, October 25.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
LSU comes to town riding a two-match winning streak, including a sweep over No. 22 Tennessee. The Tigers sit just under .500 on the season with a 10-12 record (6-7 in league play). Defensively, LSU ranks third in the conference with 2.61 blocks per set while holding its opponents to a .207 hitting percentage. The Tiger offense runs through outside hitter Kylie Kuyava-Deberg, who is averaging 4.04 kills per set, and Anita Anwusi paces the team with a .357 hitting percentage.
ALL-TIME VS. LSU
LSU leads the all-time series 53-20, although Ole Miss has won three of the last five meetings.
LAST TIME AGAINST LSU
In match two of the series against the Tigers in the spring of 2021, Ole Miss pushed LSU to five sets to pick up its lone win of the 2020-21 season. For the second time in her career, Aubrey Sultemeier recorded a single-match program-record nine block assists, while Sasha Ratliff added 12 kills and nine blocks.
PREVIOUS MATCH
In the Rebels' fourth match this season on the road against a ranked opponent, they fell 0-3 to the Volunteers. It snapped a four-match Rebel winning streak.
CLIMBIN' ON UP
Senior middle blocker Aubrey Sultemeier continues to cement her legacy as a Rebel moving up the Ole Miss record book as one of the top middle blockers in program history. The Fredericksburg, Texas, native cracked the top-five, recording one block in the loss at No. 22 Tennessee. She already holds the top spot in single-match block assists, recording nine on two separate occasions.
LAST WOMEN STANDING
Ole Miss was the only team in the conference to go through non-conference play unblemished at a perfect record of 11-0, to start SEC play undefeated for the second time in program history.
THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE
Sasha Ratliff could not be stopped in the series against the Gamecocks, racking up a total of 37 kills on the weekend, all while hitting at a .525 clip. For the first time in her career, Ratliff hit for 20 plus kills in the first match against South Carolina, totaling a career-high 22 kills. She remained just as dominant at the net, recording eight blocks for the third time this season.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
For the first time this season, two Rebels recorded a double-double in the same match. For the seventh time this season, Kylee McLaughlin hit double figures in assists and digs, while Lauren Thompson matched a season-high with 11 kills and 11 digs in the second match at Missouri.
4K AND CLIMBING
With 45 assists against Kentucky, Kylee McLaughlin eclipsed the 4,000 career assist mark. McLaughlin ranks 13th among active NCAA leaders in career assists and is one of 21 active players with over 4,000 in their career.
HOT HANDS
The Rebels could not miss in the first match against the Tigers, slamming down 41 kills at a .383 clip. This marked the highest hitting percentage by the Rebels in an SEC match since 2014. Just one week later, Ole Miss bested this clip again, hitting at a .389 percentage in the second match against South Carolina.
GETTING IN A GROOVE
Riley Fischer has cemented her spot in the libero uniform, displaying her confidence with a 21 dig performance in the first match against South Carolina, setting a career-high. This also set the most digs by a Rebel in a single match this season.
RECORD FIREPOWER
Ole Miss came out with some big swings against Alabama A&M, hitting at a rally-scoring era program record .488 clip. It also was the first time since the 2014 season that the Rebels hit for over .400 in a match.
THE BLOCK PARTY CONTINUES
With 2.46 blocks per set, Ole Miss ranks fifth in the SEC and 47th nationally. Sophomores Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch lead the charge, averaging 1.16 and 1.15 blocks per set, respectively.
HOT START
For the first time since 2014, Ole Miss started the season off 12-0 in the second year under Kayla Banwarth, marking the second-best start in program history.
MVP PERFORMANCE
Sasha Ratliff sure had herself a weekend in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Atlanta native tied her then career-highs, racking up 15 kills and nine blocks in the win over No. 15 WKU. Ratliff was ultimately named the Holiday Inn-University Plaza Tournament MVP and was then the first Rebel since 2016 to be named the SEC Player of the Week.
BREAK OUT THE BROOMS
Not only did the Rebels open the season 2-0 for the first time since 2016, but it also marked the first time since 2014 that Ole Miss has swept its first two opening matches.
READY FOR ROUND TWO
Year two of the Kayla Banwarth era continues, after a rigorous 2020-21 season with eight matches against top-15 opponents from the AVCA Poll. This marked the most matches against ranked opponents in a single season dating back to 2003.
NEW FACES TO THE BENCH
Three new faces joined the Rebel volleyball family this offseason with the addition of former George Mason middle blocker Brad Creamer as a volunteer assistant coach. Another former Patriot made his way to Oxford as well, with five-time letterwinner outside hitter Sam Greenslade joining the staff as a graduate manager. Rounding out the staff is coordinator of operations, Kendra Charles. Charles joins the Rebels after spending five seasons as the director of volleyball operations at Northern Colorado.
MISSISSIPPI MADE
When freshman outside hitter Julia Dyess made her Rebel debut against UTSA, she became the first Mississippi native to don a Rebel uniform since 2002. The Brandon native garnered Under Armour All-American Honorable Mention honors as a senior at Hartfield Academy.
REBELS SLOTTED 11TH IN SEC PRESEASON POLL
After finishing 12th last season, Ole Miss was tabbed to finish 11th overall in this year's SEC Preseason poll. The defending national champions held the top spot, as Kentucky was picked as the favorite to repeat as the conference champions again, receiving a total of seven first-place votes.
KEEPING IT 100-AT THE GILLOM CENTER
Following a year of limited capacity at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center, Ole Miss is ready to welcome fans back into the venue for 12 home matches. Admission to any Ole Miss volleyball match is free of charge. Fans are required to wear a mask in accordance with university policies.
UP NEXT
Ole Miss continues its four-match homestand with two contests against Georgia on Nov. 18 and 19.
