NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt middle Jackie Moore had a career night on Friday at Memorial Gymnasium, recording 23 kills, seven blocks and 26.5 points, while hitting .415.
Despite the personal-best performance from Moore, the Commodores (5-11, 1-6 SEC) dropped a tight five-set match (18-25, 25-15, 19-25, 25-21, 15-10) to LSU (10-8. 3-4 SEC)
Vanderbilt had its best blocking night of the season, recording 12 as a team. Moore led the way with seven, followed closely by Mia Soerensen with six, season bests for both student-athletes. Elli Kinney recorded a team-high 16 digs, and Reese Animashaun tallied 10 digs on the night.
Moore’s 23 kills are the most kills by a Commodore this season.
Isabella Bareford tallied 42 assists, also contributing three kills and nine digs.
LSU’s Jurnee Robinson led the team with 17 kills and 12 digs. Two more Tigers, Nia Washington and Jessica Jones, recorded double-digit kills with 10 and 11, respectively. Both Laurel Cassidy and Aly Kirkhoff registered 11 digs. LSU recorded 11 service aces, with Jones and Washington recording three each.
Vanderbilt came out swinging in the first set, putting up seven points in a row to take a 9-2 lead. LSU, however, responded with a seven-point run of its own, cutting the Dores’ lead to one. With the set tied at 16 all, Vandy went on a 9-2 run to pull away and win the opening set 25-18. Moore and Soerensen combined for three blocks to help hold the LSU offense to a .097 hitting efficiency.
LSU earned a 25-15 win in an error-filled second set. The Tigers hit .632, while holding the Dores to a hitting efficiency of .160.
Although the first few points of the third set were back-and-forth, Vandy was able to pull away early and close out the 25-19 win. The Commodores outblocked the Tigers 5-0 and recorded a sideout percentage of 75 percent, the team’s highest of the match.
Vandy and LSU kept the score close in set 4, but the Tigers were the first to reach the red zone with a four-point lead. With the score, 21-16, LSU, Vanderbilt earned four straight points to cut the Tigers’ lead to one. Despite the Dores’ efforts, LSU won the set, 25-21, to force a fifth.
LSU ground out the fifth-set win, 15-10, taking the match, 3-2.
Vanderbilt is back in action Sunday when the Commodores face Ole Miss at 1 p.m. on SEC Network+.
