NSU holds Candlelight Christmas Concert
November 3, 2006Tigers beat Pats 13-8 on final drive
November 8, 2006
Tri-Parish Times
Behind a three-touchdown performance by JaMarcus Russell, LSU earned its first road victory of the 2006 season, a 28-24 decision over Tennessee on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in front of 106,333 fans.
LSU (7-2, 3-2 SEC) won its 12-straight game in the month of November dating back to the 2003 season. It was also the Tigers’ second victory all-time in Knoxville.
LSU now plays host to Alabama on Saturday. The game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN. The contest will mark LSU’s sixth appearance on national television this year, but the first time the Tigers will play on ESPN. LSU has played twice on ESPN2 this season.
After the Tennessee victory, the Tigers moved up to No. 12 in all three (BCS, USA-Today/Coaches, The Associated Press) polls.
LSU, which came into the game with the nation’s best defense bent uncharacteristically, allowing two of the three longest scoring plays of the season (37-yard pass and a 54-yard pass). However, the Tigers still held Tennessee to under 250 yards of total offense.
Russell did throw three interceptions, including one returned for a 31-yard touchdown that put the Tigers down 10 on the second play of the third quarter, but came back to be the hero connecting with touchdown pass with seconds left to Early Doucet.
Russell finished the game 24-of-36 for 247 yards. Doucet had a game-high eight receptions for 73 yards. Bowe had six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Craig Davis added three for 42 yards and a score.
LSU using a bevy of backs as Justin Vincent, Keiland Williams, Alley Broussard, Jacob Hester, Trindon Holliday, Charles Scott and Russell combined for 45 carries and 231 yards. Russell led the team with 71 rushing yards, while Williams added 53 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown.
Tennessee (7-2, 3-2 SEC) saw its five-game winning streak come to an end. LSU had 81 offensive plays for 478 yards, while Tennessee ran only 50.
The Vols only gained 62 rushing yards on 20 carries. In the air, Tennessee threw for under 200 yards.
Early on, LSU got on the board first with a 24-yard completion from Russell to Davis with 14:32 left in the first half. Meanwhile, Tennessee was held to minus-5 yards of offense in the first quarter.
The Vols tied the game with under five minutes left in the half and then used a Russell interception to convert a field goal and take a 10-7 lead into the half.
Tennessee extended the lead to 17-7 on the second play of the second half, as another Russell interception was returned 31 yards for a touchdown upping the home team’s lead.
However, the Tigers would respond with a 10-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Russell to Bowe. Williams scored again with just under three minutes left in the third quarter allowing LSU to take a 21-17 lead.
Tennessee regained the lead again with a long pass for a touchdown with 7:29 left. LSU then put together its game-winning drive that ended with the completion in the end zone to Doucet with six seconds left in the game.
LADY TIGERS BEAT AUBURN
Led by a double-double by freshman Lauren DeGirolamo, the 11th-ranked LSU volleyball came from behind to defeat Auburn, 30-24, 28-30, 22-30, 30-17, 16-14, on Sunday afternoon in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
With the win, the purple and gold improved to 21-4 overall and 13-3 in Southeastern Conference action. It marked the first 13-win season in league play since going 13-1 and winning the SEC title in 1991. In addition, LSU matched last season’s win total for the most since recording 21 wins in 1993.
DeGirolamo led the Lady Tigers with 15 kills, one shy of her career high, while also recording a career-best 11 blocks, giving her the third double-double of her career. Kyna Washington posted 14 kills for LSU with a match-best three service aces, followed by Melody Clark with 13 kills and Marina Skender with 10.
Kassi Mikulik led the match with 25 digs, followed by Skender with 18, Daniela Romero with 16 and Michelle Hensgens with 11. Romero also recorded 55 assists, for her 14th double-double of the season. Beyond DeGirolamo’s 11 blocks, Washington and Clark each posted six, while Romero and Vanessa Freeman had four each.
WOMEN’S GOLF TEAM FINISHES SIXTH
The LSU women’s golf team took home sixth place in the Hooters National Match Play Championship after falling to Auburn in the “B” Consolation final Sunday at the Eagle Creek Golf Course in Orlando, Fla.
Auburn won four of the five singles matches. LSU finished with a 2-2 record in the three-day event. LSU finished the event with an overall record of 8-8-4. LSU’s only point in the match came in the second match as Nicola Eaton posted an all-square match to get a half with Candace Schepperle. Kim Meck , who had been undefeated over the weekend, finally lost her first match, 3 and 2, to Abigale Schepperle of Auburn.
