Nov. 2, 2008
AUBURN - After losing the first two sets of the match, the Auburn volleyball team (6-19, 1-13 SEC) mounted a comeback against in-state rival Alabama (12-10, 5-8 SEC) that nearly pushed the match to five sets, but fell short in the 3-1 (19-25, 23-25, 25-22, 27-29) loss Sunday at the Student Activities Center.
Auburn lost despite out-hitting the Crimson Tide in the match. The Tigers posted a .204 hitting percentage, compared to a .193 performance from Alabama. UA was able to count on three more kills than Auburn, along with eight services aces to squeeze out the road victory.
"We did not play great, we have been playing a lot better than we did today," said Auburn head coach Wade Benson. "But, we are turning the corner when we don't play our `A' game that we can still stay in it and possibly get a win."
Auburn led late in three out of the four sets, but fell victim to Crimson Tide rallies in the loss. After losing the first two sets of the match, Benson was happy that his team did not back down and give away the win.
"We certainly had opportunities to take that match to five sets, we really pushed Alabama," said Benson. "Two weeks ago, we would have lost set three easily and never had of fought back. But, now we are tougher, mentally stronger and we can still hang in there and still have a chance to win even when we do not play our best and that is a big step for us."
Senior Jessica Glover led the Tigers with a match-high 19 kills, adding 14 digs for double-double. Also picking up a double-double was sophomore Jonelle Wallace as she picked up 13 kills and 12 digs with a .444 attack percentage.
Sophomore libero Liz Crouch posted her third 20-dig match of the season to lead the Auburn defensive effort. Freshman Jyoti Ruffin came off the bench to lead the team with six blocks, two of which were solo blocks. Glover followed behind Ruffin with four blocks of her own while Olympia Haney and Kelly Fidero chipped in three each.
For Alabama, it was Brooks Webster leading the team with 18 kills while libero Amy Pauly tallied a team-best 15 digs. Calli Johnson also stepped up big for the Crimson Tide with a match-high seven blocks.
In the first set, Auburn jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead, but Alabama went on a 7-1 run to take a lead it would hold until the 17-17 mark. The Tigers took a brief 19-17 lead before the Crimson Tide rattled off eight-straight points for the 25-19 win. Wallace and Glover led Auburn in the opening set with four kills each.
The teams stay neck-and-neck in the second with Alabama taking its largest lead at the 19-15 point. Auburn rallied back and cut the lead to one at the 23-22 mark, but a pair of kills from UA's Lindsey Buteyn and Alyssa Meuth sealed the 25-23 win. Wallace and Glover led the Tigers with five kills each while Haney added another four.
Auburn and Alabama stayed even throughout the third set with neither team able to build a substantial lead. Tied at the 21-21 mark, setter Sara Shanks served four straight points to help the Tigers to the 25-22 win. Glover led the team with six kills, including three in the final five points of the set.
The fourth set looked as if it would lead to a fifth after Auburn took the lead at the 10-9 point, holding on until Alabama tied it up at the 21-21 mark. The Tigers led by as many as four points during the stretch.
Alabama took its first lead of the set at the 22-21 mark, but Auburn quickly re-took the lead until the Crimson Tide jumped ahead again at the 28-27 point. Needing just one more point, it was Buteyn picking up the final kill for the 29-27 set and match win.
"Obviously we wanted to win the match and we certainly had opportunities today to take it to five sets," said Benson. "But, I think we gained a lot of respect in the loss."
Heading into the final stretch of the season with only three more weeks left, Auburn hits the road next weekend for matches at South Carolina and Florida. Action begins at 6 p.m. CT, Friday against the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C.