Sept. 29, 2016
AUBURN, Ala. -- The Auburn volleyball team continues its road swing this weekend, facing Mississippi State and Georgia in the second week of Southeastern Conference play.
The Tigers face Mississippi State Friday at 7 p.m. CT in the Newell-Grissom Building. Auburn caps the weekend with a 12:30 p.m. CT match in Athens, taking on Georgia Sunday in the Ramsey Center. Both matches will be broadcasted on SEC Network+.
QUICK HITS
- Auburn kicked off SEC play with a 1-1 record on opening weekend.
- The Tigers started with a home match vs. LSU and held off the visiting Tigers in a 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 23-25, 15-9) win.
- The five-set match was the fourth time in the last five meetings Auburn and LSU went to the fifth set.
- Auburn closed out the weekend on the road, facing then-No. 19 Texas A&M in College Station.
- The Aggies took the match, 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-19).
- Jesse Earl's 5.21 digs/set season average currently leads all student-athletes in the SEC.
- The Tigers are averaging 1.48 service aces/set and rank second among SEC opponents.
- Earl and sophomore Brenna McIlroy lead the team with a .36 and .34 aces/set average, respectively. Earl is sixth in the league, while McIlroy is eighth.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
- The Bulldogs enter the weekend with a 9-7 overall mark and are 1-1 in the league.
- Senior Evie Grace Singleton is fifth in the conference with a 3.89 overall kills/set average. She stands fourth in service aces, having 28 for a .44 average.
- Defensively, senior Jazmyne Johnson is eight in the SEC with a 1.16 blocks/set average, while junior libero Payton Harris is seventh in digs at 3.75.
A WIN OVER MSU WOULD...
- Give Auburn its seventh-straight win over the Bulldogs.
- Be Auburn's fourth-consecutive win in Starkville.
- Be the Tigers' 38th win in series history.
AUBURN-MSU SERIES
- Auburn leads the all-time series, 37-20, dating back to 1978. Auburn has won six-consecutive meetings and is 11-3 against the Bulldogs since 2008.
- This will be the 27th meeting between Auburn and Mississippi State in Starkville. Auburn is 15-11 on the road in the series.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
- The Georgia Bulldogs stand at 12-3 on the year and are 0-2 in SEC play prior to the weekend.
- Three Bulldogs are among the SEC's best in service aces with junior Cassidy Anderson at third with a .46 aces/set average. Maddie Lobenstein is seventh at .36, while Sydney Gilliam is 10th with a .29 average.
- Anderson is third in the SEC with a 4.13 digs/set average.
A WIN OVER GEORGIA WOULD...
- Be Auburn's first win in Athens since 2010.
- Give Auburn its second-straight win over the Bulldogs.
AUBURN-GEORGIA SERIES
- Georgia leads the all-time series, 36-16, and are 18-4 in Athens over Auburn.
- Sunday's match is the 53rd meeting between the two teams.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Auburn Arena, hosting Missouri and Alabama. The two Tiger teams face off at 7 p.m. CT, Oct. 7, while the Crimson Tide comes to town for a 1:30 p.m. CT match, Oct. 9.