Sept. 15, 2017
War Eagle Invitational
(2-1) vs. (2-0)
MATCH
| Saturday, Sept. 16 | 1 p.m. CT | |
| Auburn at #20 Florida State | ||
AUBURN, Ala. -- The Auburn volleyball team will close out its non-conference portion of the 2017 season in Tallahassee, Fla., taking on No. 20 Florida State. The Tigers and the Seminoles will face off Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. CT in Tully Gym.
QUICK HITS
- At 7-1 overall, the Tigers are off to their best start since the 2013 season where Auburn opened with a 9-1 mark.
- The Tigers have had a very challenging non-conference slate and after Saturday's match, the team will have faced three nationally-ranked teams prior to the start of SEC competition - No. 17 Michigan State (8/26), No. 16 North Carolina (9/2), No. 20 Florida State (9/16). Auburn topped UNC in Puerto Rico, 3-1.
- The Tigers have or will have faced at least one ACC opponent in all four non-conference weekends this season. Auburn is currently 4-0 vs. the conference.
- Head coach Rick Nold reached his 100th win at Auburn after Saturday's victory over Clemson.
- Sophomore transfer Shaina White is second in the conference in hitting efficiency, having 76 kills on the year with a .481 attack percentage.
- Senior Jesse Earl, a two-time AVCA All-South Region honoree and an All-SEC performer, is averaging 4.36 digs/set and notched a season-best 20 digs in the team's upset over then-No. 16 North Carolina, Sept. 2. She has totaled double-digit digs in all eight matches this year.
- Senior setter Alexa Filley is among the best in the SEC in assists so far this season, ranking fourth overall with a 10.93 assists/set average.
- Junior Brenna McIlroy and sophomore Gwyn Jones has been Auburn's go-to attackers and the pair along with S. White and Filley were placed on the War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament team last weekend.
UM/FIU INVITATIONAL CANCELED
- Auburn was originally supposed to conclude the non-conference slate in Miami this weekend, but because of the after effects of Hurricane Irma, the two-day tournament was canceled.
- The Tigers were scheduled to face James Madison, FIU, and Miami.
SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
- The Florida State Seminoles are ranked No. 20 in the nation this week and stand at 5-1. Saturday's match will be the team's first since the beginning of September because of the threat of Hurricane Irma.
- The Seminoles' last time out had them hosting the Home2 Suites Tallahassee Seminole Invitational, Sept. 1-3. The squad picked up a pair of wins over UNC Ashville (3-0) and TCU (3-1), but fell to Colorado State in straight sets.
- The Noles were chosen to finish second in the ACC in the conference's preseason poll behind North Carolina. Kubura earned a spot on the Preseason All-ACC team.
- Kubura's 3.59 kills/set is a team best, while Calkins has totaled a team-high 84 kills on the year.
- Defensively, FSU is averaging 2.6 blocks/set with freshman Taryn Knuth leading the way at 1.33 blocks/set.
A WIN OVER FLORIDA STATE WOULD...
- Would be Auburn's second win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season and sixth overall in program history.
- Be the team's seventh-straight victory on the season.
- Be Auburn's fifth win over an ACC opponent this year.
UP NEXT
Auburn opens Southeastern Conference play next weekend on the road, traveling to Ole Miss and Georgia. The Tigers and the Rebels square off Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. CT in Oxford, Miss. Auburn closes out the week with a tilt in Athens, Sept. 24, at 12:30 p.m. CT.