AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn volleyball team opens Southeastern Conference action this weekend, hosting Tennessee before traveling to Alabama. The Tigers (7-3) welcome the Volunteers to Auburn Arena Friday for a 7 p.m. CT contest. The squad follows with a 1 p.m. CT match in Tuscaloosa Sunday.
"We're excited to start conference play at home Friday," head coach Rick Nold. "We've been working hard all non-conference to be prepared for the rigors of the league and I'm happy with where we are right now. Tennessee and Alabama have had a lot of success this year already and we need to bring our best against these tough opponents."
Both matches will be streamed on SEC Network+/WatchESPN.
PROMOTIONS
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Admission for all volleyball matches in Auburn Arena is free.
QUICK HITS
- Auburn (7-3) closed out its non-conference slate with a 3-1 (25-20, 28-26, 16-25, 25-23) victory over Florida State Sunday in Auburn Arena.
- Senior Brenna McIlroy was the go-to attacker for the Tigers, having a match-best 20 kills to set a season high.
- Freshman libero Bella Rosenthall led all student-athletes with 20 digs, marking her second-straight match with 20+ digs for the Auburn defense. Junior Karis Beasley tied her career high with 16 digs.
- Rosenthall was named the SEC Freshman of the Week Monday after putting up big numbers in big wins this past week. She led the squad with a 5.00 digs/set average over nine sets played.
- In Auburn's come-from-behind victory at Kennesaw State Tuesday, Rosenthall set a career-best with 25 digs to lead all student-athletes in the five-set match. She also added a service ace and five assists for the Tigers on the road.
- McIlroy picked up where she has left off the last three season, leading the Tigers offensively on the outside. The Garland, Texas, product has 3.17 kills/set average on the year with 94 over 32 sets played. With 1,090 kills so far in her career, McIlroy needs just 73 digs for 1,000 and will become the seventh Tiger to achieve both milestones in a career.
- Freshman Mica Allison as earned the starting nod in all matches at setter for the Tigers the year. The White Heath, Ill., native is fifth in the Southeastern Conference with a 10.11 assists/set average.
- Auburn's 2018 schedule boasts 10 2017 NCAA Tournament participants.
- Head Coach Rick Nold stands at 115-104 in his eighth season on the Plains.
- Auburn returns five of seven starters from the 2017 season.
- The 2018 Auburn volleyball incoming class is ranked the seventh-best freshman class in the nation.
- Auburn was picked sixth in the SEC Preseason Coaches' poll.
UP NEXT
Auburn continues life on the road with a pair of contests in Mississippi. The squad has its first Wednesday night match at Mississippi State, Sept. 26, starting at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The Tigers follow with a Sunday afternoon faceoff at Ole Miss, Sept. 30. AU and the Rebels will go head-to-head at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE
- The Tennessee Volunteers come to the Plains with a 9-3 after a successful non-conference slate. The Vols have a pair of Top 25 wins under their belt, topping then-No. 22 Michigan State (Aug. 24) and then-No. 16 San Diego (Sept. 8)
- The Vols are under first-year head coach Eve Rackham.
- Junior Tessa Grubbs leads the team offensively with 3.80 kills/set, while senior Erica Treiber has a 2.64 kills/set mark. Treiber's .407 hitting clip is second in the Southeastern Conference.
- Treiber is among the league's best in blocking, ranking third in the SEC with a 1.20 blocks/set average.
A WIN OVER UT WOULD...
- Be Auburn's third-straight win over the Vols and the fifth-straight victory on the Plains.
- Be Auburn's fourth-consecutive win in SEC openers.
AUBURN-UT SERIES
- Friday's match is the 51st meeting between Auburn and Tennessee, dating back to 1974.
- Tennessee leads the series with a 3018-1 record over the Tigers.
- The Tigers hold a slight 12-11 record in matches played on the Plains.
- Auburn has won seven of the last eight meetings, including the last two contests.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- The No. 25 Alabama Crimson Tide stand at 12-2 on the season. The Tide kicked off the SEC season Wednesday, fall in three sets at Missouri.
- The Bama middles have had a successful non-conference as both are among the league's best in blocking. Junior Hayley McSparin is second in the SEC with a 1.22 average, while senior Cidavia Hall is seventh at 1.00.
- Senior libero Quincey Gary leads the conference in digs, averaging 4.80 per set.
- Junior Ginger Perinar leads the Tide in kills, having 167 on the year with a 3.34 average. Sophomore transfer Doris Carter isn't far behind with 156 kills and a 3.12 average.
A WIN OVER BAMA WOULD...
- Be Auburn's first win in Tuscaloosa since 2011. The Tigers didn't play in Tuscaloosa in 2013 or 2017.
- Be Auburn's second-straight win over the Crimson Tide.
AUBURN-BAMA SERIES
- Alabama leads the series with a 46-32 record, dating back to 1974.
- The storied series has been streaky for both teams throughout the years - the Tide went 15-3 in the 70s, Auburn was 16-4 in the 90s, Alabama was 12-2 in the early 00s.
Tigers Open SEC Play vs. Tennessee, at No. 25 Alabama
