Tigers split pair of matches to open Auburn Invitational

AUBURN, Ala. – After falling in five sets to Florida A&M, Auburn volleyball (7-1) bounced back with a four-set victory over Nicholls State to open action at the Auburn Invitational Friday night at Auburn Arena.

With the opening match tied, Auburn's offense and timely stuff blocks gave the Tigers an advantage, but Florida A&M (6-4) stormed back to force a decisive fifth set before ultimately winning the match, 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 11-15).

Auburn stormed out with two quick set wins over Nicholls (7-4) before the Colonels forced extra points to take the third set. Auburn took advantage of costly errors to knock off Nichols, 3-1 (25-8, 25-15, 26-28, 25-15).

"There was a different attitude on the court from the first serve on," said head coach Brent Crouch. "We came out a little flat this morning, and I don't think anyone was really pleased about it. It was great that we were able to get back on the court quick this evening and have a chance to pick it up and play the way we know how to play. We saw that immediately, 25-8 in the first set. You're making a statement when you do that."

Senior Val Green led the Tiger offense against the Lady Rattlers behind a career-high 19 kills. Green also chipped in three blocks at the net. Graduate student Liz Reich matched her season-high output in kills with 17 on a .378 hitting percentage. Senior Elif Su Yavuz recorded a season-best eight kills on 14 swings for a .571 hitting clip.

Sophomore Jackie Barrett shattered her career high with 48 assists as the starting setter for the Tigers. Barrett was strong at the service line with a pair of aces. Defensively, she totaled four blocks and 15 digs to pick up her third double-double of the season.

As a team, the Tigers totaled 9.0 stuff blocks at the net with four Tigers totaling 4.0 blocks a piece in the match, including sophomore Audrey Douglas. Douglas, making her first appearance of the season, also added four kills for the Tiger offense.

Senior Bella Rosenthall totaled 20 digs extending her streak of consecutive matches with at least 20 digs to three. Freshman Fallan Lanham tallied 10 digs for the Tigers.

Rath headed the Tiger offense against Colonels with a match-leading 18 kills. Green and Reich both closed the match in double-digit kills with 12 and 10, respectively. Senior Tatum Shipes chipped seven kills for the Tigers.

Barrett dished out 40 assists in the match. Offensively, she added a pair of kills and tied her career high with three service aces. Barrett shattered her career high with 28 digs to pick up her second consecutive double-double.

At the net, Auburn totaled 13.5 team blocks, seven of which came in the first set. Yavuz paced the team with a season-high 9.0 blocks. The middle blocker also added two kills for the Tigers.

Defensively, Rosenthall totaled 31 digs, a new career high for the senior. She is the first Tiger to record at least 30 digs in a match since Payton White versus Butler on Aug. 31, 2019. Rosenthall has now recorded at least 20 digs in four consecutive matches.

FLORIDA A&M RECAP
 
SET ONE
It was all Florida A&M early as the Lady Rattlers jumped out to a 6-3 lead to force a Tiger timeout. Auburn answered right back with three straight kills out of the timeout before a block from Shipes and Reich tied the set at 7-all. The two squads continued to trade points before Auburn called its final timeout with Florida A&M leading, 18-17. The Tigers would use a kill and block from Green to tie the set at 20-all. The Rattlers forced side outs to keep the match close, not allowing Auburn to extend its lead by more than one. After a Florida A&M service error, Reich put the set away with a kill for a 25-23 final.
 
SET TWO
Set two was a close affair in the early stages with seven tied scores before Auburn went on a 4-0 run with help of three kills from Green to put Tigers up 12-9. The Tigers held on to its lead until Florida A&M went on a 7-0 run with help of six consecutive kills to take a 19-18 advantage and force a pair of Tiger timeouts. Entering the match, Douglas tallied her first kill of the season to tie it up at 19-all, but the Rattlers built up a four-point lead with help of a block and a pair of kills. The Tigers picked up back-to-back points with a kill from Rath and an Auburn block. After a Lady Rattler kill, an Auburn attack error gave Florida A&M the set, 25-21.
 
SET THREE
After trading points through the early stages, Auburn took advantage of Florida A&M miscues to go on 6-0 run and build a 12-7 lead. The Tiger defense continued its pressure, not allowing the Lady Rattlers to pull closer than three points. The offensive duo of Rath and Reich put the set away with a pair of kills as Auburn cruised to a 25-20 win.  Efficient hitting was key to the set victory as the Tigers closed the set with a .300 team attack percentage.
 
SET FOUR
Auburn took a slight advantage in the early stages with three straight kills, two coming off swings from Rath. The Rattlers kept it close and tied the match up before a pair of kills and an Auburn error put Florida A&M up 14-11.  The Rattlers had an answer to every Auburn point to keep the Tigers from slicing the lead until late in the set. The Tigers put together a 4-0 run with Jordan Sinness at the service line to tie the set at 21-all. The Lady Rattlers reeled off four straight points in response to take the set, 25-21.
 
SET FIVE
Auburn recorded the first point of the set with a kill from Yavuz, but Florida A&M used four kills to help put together a 7-0 response. Auburn cut into the lead late with a kill from Green and a Tiger block, but the comeback fell short as the Lady Rattlers took the set, 15-11, and the match.
 
NICHOLLS RECAP
 
SET ONE
The Tigers made a huge statement, jumping out to a 9-3 lead early in the set. The Tiger offense did not let up, totaling 12 kills and hitting an efficient .355 in the set. The Tiger defense held Nicholls to a -.119 hitting percentage with help of seven blocks in the opening frame to carry Auburn to a 25-8 victory.
 
SET TWO
Costly Nicholls error early in the set helped the Tigers build a five-point lead, 11-6. The Colonels struggled find rhythm offensively before a pair of Rath kills extended the lead to 18-10. Errors continued to plague Nicholls down the stretch as the Tigers reached set point. Nicholls was able to fight off the first set point attempt, but a big tiger block from Reich and Yavuz put it away, 25-15.
 
SET THREE
It was Auburn miscues on offense that helped Nicholls storm out to a four-point lead midway through the set as the Tigers were forced to play from behind. The Tigers had an answer for the Colonels to keep the match close before a Nicholls error tied up the set at 22-all. Green gave Auburn a lead with a timely kill. The two teams would continue to trade advantages until an Auburn attack error and ace from the service line secured the set for Nicholls, 28-26.
 
SET FOUR
Two aces from Barrett, a Reich kill and a Nicholls attack error put Auburn up 4-0 to open the final set of the match. The Tigers continued to hammer away offensively with a pair of kills from Rath and Reich to push the lead to 10-4. A 4-0 run by the Tigers highlighted by back-to-back kills from Rath forced a Nicholls timeout with Auburn leading 15-8. Auburn hammered away offensively, scoring five of the last six points to cruise to a 25-15 victory.

UP NEXT
Auburn wraps up non-conference play on Saturday against Belmont. First serve on the SEC Network+ is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT.