AUBURN, Ala. – Returning to non-conference play for the final time this season, Auburn volleyball (8-2) preps for its first road test of the 2021 season as the Tigers make the short trek to Montgomery, Ala., to face Alabama State (2-12) on Sunday.
"Unfortunately, we had several matches canceled during our preseason due to opponent COVID issues or Hurricane Ida, so we lost three matches," said head coach Brent Crouch. "We were able to add one back with Santa Clara, and we were able to get one more back with this match at Alabama State. With our conference schedule, we had some time this weekend to make the trip. "
First serve is set for 3 p.m. CT.
QUICK HITS
· Auburn volleyball hits the road for the first time this season, making the short trek to Montgomery, Ala., to face Alabama State in the last non-conference contest of the regular season. Auburn is looking for its ninth win of the season, the most matches the program has won since closing the 2018 season with 12 wins.
· The Tigers lead the all-time series against the Lady Hornet, 9-3, and have won the last seven straight meetings all via sweeps. Sunday marks the first time the two teams have met on the court since 2017.
· Leading the conference with a 5.33 digs/set average, Bella Rosenthall enters league action as a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week honoree. She has recorded at least 10 digs in 10 consecutive matches. She is the first Tiger to be honor with the award multiple times in a single season since Camila Jersonsky in 2012.
· Defense has been key to Auburn's early success to begin the season. The Tigers rank fourth in the SEC and rank 27th nationally with a 2.67 blocks/set average. The Tigers also lead the league and rank fifth in all of Division I volleyball by holding opponents to a .115 hitting percentage. Auburn's digs per set average of 16.69 ranks second in the league.
· Jackie Barrett enters Sunday's match with an active double-double streak of five matches. Over the span she has recorded 190 assists and 85 digs.
· Earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, Bella Rosenthall became the first player in program history to win the award in back-to-back weeks.
· Making the move to middle blocker, Tatum Shipes has shined at the position, leading the team in blocks. She ranks seventh nationally with a 1.55 blocks per set average.
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE
Alabama State opened the season on an 11-game losing skid before picking up a four-set victory against USC-Upstate as part of a tournament hosted by Georgia Southern. The Lady Hornets improved to 2-12 overall on the season Friday night with a sweep of Alabama A&M to open SWAC play.
Offensively, Alabama State ranks third in the SWAC with a .129 team hitting percentage. Jada Rhodes is the team leader in kills with 112 as she averages 2.33 per set. Kalysia Bates ranks second on the team with 84 kills and has one of the highest hitting percentages on the team at .221
The Lady Hornets are the best serving team in the SWAC as they lead the conference with a 1.36 aces per set average with 61 total aces. Bates is the conference leader at the service line with 22 total, a mark that ranks 19th among all Division I athletes. Bates also holds a conference-leading 0.49 aces per set average.
Alabama State utilizes a pair of setters on the court in Madison Beasley and McKenzie Boland. Beasley has started eight matches for Alabama State, leading the team with 204 assists and a 4.25 assists per set average. Boland has picked up five starts and has totaled 161 assists to average 3.93 per set. Boland has also added four kills on a .300 hitting percentage.
Defensively, the Lady Hornets have a pair of blocks with over 30.0 stuffs to their credit this season. Mahogany Vinson leads the team with 33.0 total as she averages 0.69 per set. Bates is second in the squad with 31.0 total blocks.
Emersen Belles and Rhodes have racked up the most digs for the Lady Hornets. Earning more playing time as of late, Belles has racked up 88 digs over her 28 sets played to average a team-best 3.14 digs per set. Rhodes has 83 digs to her credit as she averages 1.73 per set.
UP NEXT
Auburn will face its first top-25 opponent as the Tigers trek to No. 21 Tennessee on Wednesday. First serve on the SEC Network is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.