AUBURN, Ala. – Following the cancellation of Wednesday's midweek match versus New Orleans, Auburn volleyball (4-0) turns its attention to North Alabama (2-5) as the Tigers' homestand at Auburn Arena continues Thursday. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT.
"Our scheduled was tailored so that each week the competition gets stiffer," said head coach Brent Crouch. "We have relied on Rebekah Rath pretty heavily these first four matches. What I want to see moving forward is to start diversify the offense around her."
Thursday's match will be streamed via SEC Network+ with Lynn Rollins and Paige Wetzel on the call. Fans can also hear the match locally on WEGL 91.1
QUICK HITS
- Standing at the top of the SEC standings with Ole Miss as the only remaining undefeated programs in the conference. Auburn is off to its first 4-0 start since 2015. Having not drop a set in 2021, Auburn has now opened the season with four straight sweeps for the first time since 2009.
- After totaling 32 kills to continue her stranglehold as the SEC's leader in kills/set, Rebekah Rath was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Since is the first Tiger to win the award since Brenna McIlroy won the award on Oct. 30, 2017.
- Ranked second in the conference with a 5.33 digs/set average, Bella Rosenthall is off to a hot start to her senior campaign with four straight 10+ dig matches. She is looking to become just the 15th Tiger in program history to record 1,000 career digs. Rosenthall would be the first to do so since Brenna McIlroy (2015-2018). She enters the weekend with 780 career digs.
- Defense has been key to Auburn's early success to begin the season. The Tigers lead the SEC and rank eighth nationally with a 3.21 blocks/set average. The Tigers also lead the league by holding opponents to a .087 hitting percentage and rank second in the SEC with a 13.33 digs/set average.
SCOUTING NORTH ALABAMA
After dropping its first four matches of the season, North Alabama has found its rhythm to win two of its last three matches. Last weekend at the Music City Invitational, the Lions fell to Belmont before edging out Alcorn State in a five-set thriller.
Offensively, North Alabama is evenly spread as three Lions have recorded 50+ kills through the first two weeks of the season. Katy Floyd leads that group with 56, averaging 2.55 kills/set.
Floyd is also strong at the service line with a team-leading 10 aces. As a team, North Alabama has recorded 48 aces in seven matches.
Setting duties have been split thus far between Breylee Linder and Camryn Kling. Linder has the slightest of edges with a 4.92 assists/set average. Linder is also hitting .267 this season with four kills and has added six aces for the Lions.
Defensively, North Alabama is strong at the net with 46.0 total blocks. Anna Katherine Griggs has been a part of half of North Alabama's blocks as she leads the team with 22.0 total. Mattrice Harris is just behind with 20.0.
The Lions have six members of the roster with 30+ digs. Tatum Fouche leads the effort with 66 and averages a team-leading 2.54 digs/set.
ATTENDANCE AND FAN POLICIES
Arena doors will open one hour prior to each match.
All fans and students will enter Auburn Arena at the Scholarship Entrance. Sections A-N will be open for seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. Seats directly behind the team benches will be marked and unavailable for fans to provide a buffer for competing student-athletes and coaches.
Auburn University currently requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings inside all Auburn University buildings, which includes Auburn Arena.
Fans will be able to use the restrooms and concessions in the Aubie Chow area accessed via the Northwest tunnel. The Team Shop will be set up by Aubie Chow for fans attending the matches. The main Team Shop location located by the North Main Entrance will be open during regular business hours and will only be accessible from the exterior of Auburn Arena.
All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at Auburn Arena will be contactless and cashless (credit/debit and Tiger Cards only).
For the full list of attendance and safety protocols CLICK HERE.
UP NEXT
Auburn continues its homestand on Sunday with the addition of a single match versus Santa Clara at 1:30 p.m. CT. Sunday's match was added to the 2021 regular-season schedule following the cancellation of New Orleans due to the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.