Cusack digs Gators to 3-1 victory over #11 LSU

November 3rd, 2006

Freshman libero Elyse Cusack nearly set an NCAA record and shattered the school record for digs in a match with 46 as the #7 University of Florida volleyball team became the first Southeastern Conference team to defeat #11 LSU at home in 2006 with a 3-1 (31-29, 30-24, 27-30, 30-24) victory Friday evening before the largest crowd to attend an LSU home match since 1992 (1,684) at the Pete Maravich Center.

With the victory, Florida (21-2, 14-1) opened up a two-match lead on the Tigers (20-4, 12-3) with just five contests remaining in SEC play. The win improved Florida coach Mary Wise’s record against ranked SEC teams to 23-6 in her career with the Gators moving to 3-0 against ranked conference foes in 2006. The Tigers held the advantage statistically in every category except hitting percentage as UF out-hit LSU .138-.097. The Gators collected 113 digs in the match as a team, which tied for the third most in school history with the total standing as the most in the rally scoring era for UF.

“What we saw out of Elyse Cusack was one of the most special performances we’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Florida coach Mary Wise said. “Neither team got on track offensively and that had a lot to do with serving and blocking. It was like two heavyweights were battering each other out there.”

Cusack had broken the Gator record for digs in a match through just the first three games as she already had 36 digs. The old record had stood since Lyra Vance tallied 34 on Nov. 9, 1987 against Florida State. Cusack’s total tied for the sixth-most in NCAA history for a four-game match. The record of 56 was set by UMKC’s Catalina Suarez on Sept. 29, 1989.

Junior opposite hitter Amber McCray also fared well for the Gators with 19 kills on .340 hitting. Senior defensive specialist Rhian Davis collected 15 digs for UF with junior outside hitter Marcie Hampton adding 19. Junior setter Angie McGinnis collected a double-double with 46 assists and 13 digs,

The win ran Florida’s winning streak against SEC Western Division teams to 75 and gave the Gators their 22nd straight victory against LSU. The Tigers had previously swept all six SEC teams that had played in the Maravich Center in 2006 with their only blemish at home a 3-2 loss to #3 Penn State in August.

Florida ends its four-match road swing by facing Arkansas on Sunday in a 2:30 p.m. (ET) contest. The match will be carried live on WRUF-AM 850 and www.GatorZone.com. The contest can be see via GatorVision Online.