Nov. 17, 2017
AUBURN vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE
14-10/7-8 vs. 9-20/0-14
MATCH
| Sunday, Nov. 19 | 1:30 p.m. CT | |
| Auburn vs. Mississippi State | ||
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" The Auburn volleyball team (14-10, 7-8) closes out its home schedule Sunday, hosting Mississippi State in Auburn Arena. The Tigers and the Bulldogs will square off at 1:30 p.m. CT and Auburn will recognize its 2017 senior class prior to the start of the match. The contest will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
PROMOTIONS
In addition to Senior Day, we'll be serving brunch in Auburn Arena prior to the match while supplies last so get here early!
QUICK HITS
- Auburn fell to LSU, 3-1 (25-15, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20) Wednesday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
- Senior libero Jesse Earl led the Tiger defense with a match-high 33 digs on the night. It was the third time this season the Indianapolis, Ind., product reached 30 digs or more. In addition, she eclipsed the 1,000-dig mark in SEC-only matches in her career.
- Earl is averaging 5.20 digs/set to rank first in the conference and is No. 30 nationally. Her 5.53 digs/set in SEC play is also first in the league and is almost a full dig ahead of No. 2. She has totaled double-digit digs in 23 of 24 matches this year.
- In addition, Earl has totaled 20+ digs in 11 matches, including a career-high 36 digs at Tennessee Wednesday, Oct. 4
- Senior setter Alexa Filley is no stranger to the Auburn record books. The Louisville product recently became just the second Tiger to eclipse 4,500 assists and is the only AU setter in rally scoring to reach that mark.
- Filley is among the SEC best in assists so far this season, ranking fourth overall with a 10.76 assists/set average.
- Filley is second on the team in digs this season with a 2.91 average. She is second in the conference with 17 double-doubles (assists/digs) this year.
- Sophomore Shaina White is fourth in the conference and No. 30 nationally in hitting efficiency, having 257 kills on the year with a .389 attack percentage.
- Junior Brenna McIlroy, a 5-11 junior from Garland, Texas, leads the team with 262 kills and a 2.85 average. The outside hitter is 54 kills away from 1,000 in her career.
- In addition to her ability offensively, she is also a strong member in the back row. With seven double-doubles this year, she is third on the team in digs with 250 and a 2.72 average.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
- The Mississippi State Bulldogs are 9-20 on the season with a 0-14 mark in the Southeastern Conference. The team will host Missouri in Starkville Friday before coming to the Plains Sunday.
- Senior Jelena Vujcin ranks seventh in the conference in kills, having a 3.40 kills/set average for the Bulldogs. Her 3.99 points/set mark is eighth in the league.
- Junior setter Morgan Kath is ninth among the SEC with a 8.78 assists/set average overall.
- Payton Harris and Gabby Zgunda are among the team's best in the back row as Harris has a team-best 292 digs and a 3.01 digs/set average. Zgunda is second with 249 digs and a 2.57 average.
- The pair are also the team's leaders in service aces as Zgunda has 21 and Harris has 20 on the season.
- The Bulldogs are third in the SEC in service aces, averaging 1.31/set on the season.
A WIN OVER MISSISSIPPI STATE WOULD...
- Give Auburn its 15th win of the season.
- Be Auburn's eighth win in the last nine matches vs. the Bulldogs.
AUBURN-MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES
- Auburn leads the all-time series, 38-20, dating back to 1978. Auburn has won seven of the last eight meetings and are 12-4 against the Bulldogs since 2008.
- This will be the 29th meeting between the two teams in Auburn. The Tigers hold a 22-6 all-time record vs. the Bulldogs when playing at home.
SENIOR CEREMONY
- The Tigers will recognize their four seniors and volunteer assistant prior to the start of Sunday's match.
- Courtney Crable (Louisville, Ky.) will finish her career among the program's best in career kills and career attempts.
- Jesse Earl (Indianapolis, Ind.) has made a statement in the back row since transfering to Auburn as a sophomore. She will finish second overall in career digs with over 1,600 to her credit and her digs/set average this season will finish first in program history.
- Alexa Filley (Louisville, Ky.) has played in every match since stepping foot on campus. She holds the program's career assists record in rally-scoring only with over 4,600 helpers to her credit. In addition, she is just the second setter in program history to reach 1,000 career digs and will be among the Top 4 in the category at the conclusion of the season.
- Macy Reece (Hendersonville, Tenn.) has been a versatile member for Auburn, playing both outside hitter and middle blocker. Aside from exceling athletically, Reece also exceled in the classroom and earned her Finance degree in three years. She is now pursuing her MBA.
- Volunteer assistant Price Foshee has been with the program for three years and will be graduating in December with his degree in Management.
UP NEXT
Auburn caps the 2017 regular season on the road, facing No. 3 Florida and Arkansas. The Tigers will take on the Gators Wednesday, Nov. 22, in Gainesville before traveling to Fayetteville for a Saturday match vs. the Razorbacks, Nov. 25.