AUBURN, Ala. – For the second time in program history and first since 2010, Auburn Volleyball earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will matchup in the first round with host Creighton on Friday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. CT in Omaha.
For the Orange and Blue fans unable to make the trip, the match will be broadcast on ESPN+. Jake Eisenberg will have the call alongside Shannon Smolinski and Ana Bellinghausen.
QUICK HITS
Auburn earned its second NCAA Tournament berth in program history on Sunday. The Tigers first went to the tournament in 2010, sweeping Missouri State (25-15, 26-24, 27-25) before falling to then-No. 3 Nebraska in Lincoln.
Kendal Kemp stacked up another impressive blocking effort against Arkansas over the weekend. The freshman from Eagan, Minnesota now has 167 total blocks for the season, extending her single-season record. Kemp's 1.49 blocks per set is also an Auburn record.
Fellow freshman Akasha Anderson picked up All-SEC honors on Sunday. It was the first time a Tiger had earned All-Conference since Jesse Early and Alexa Filley in 2017. Anderson was also named to the All-SEC Team along with Kendal Kemp and Madison Scheer.
While rookie libero Sarah Morton didn't pick up any SEC postseason awards, she still put together an impressive season in the back row. Totaling 416 digs this season, Morton secured the fourth-highest total in the conference. The mark is the 10th-highest in single-season program history.
Auburn's offense wouldn't have put up the numbers it did without junior setter Jackie Barrett. The Highland, California native is closing in on 1,000 assists in 2022 alone and has cobbled together a team-high 10 double-doubles.
SCOUTING CREIGHTON
Three-time National Coach of the Year Kirsten Bernthall Booth has made the Bluejays a perennial contender come December in her 20 years at the helm of the Creighton program. Earning its ninth Big East title in 2022, the Bluejays are in the Tournament for the 11th straight year.
Creighton's offense begins and ends with setter Kendra Wait. The All-Big East selection ranks 13th in the country in assists per set (11.13). Wait also totaled 368 digs on the season, second on the team only to Allison Whitten.
Speaking of digs, as a team the Bluejays are top-20 in the nation in both digs per set (16.7) and total digs (1,903).
Papillion, Nebraska native Norah Sis also earned All-Conference honors. The outside averaged 4.25 kills per set and 4.65 points per set, leading Big East and ranking top 40 in the nation in both categories.
AUBURN-CREIGHTON SERIES
Friday marks the second meeting between Auburn and Creighton, and the first in the 25-point rally-scoring era. Back in 2003, the Bluejays prevailed 3-0 (30-25, 30-26, 30-16).
CROUCH VERSUS CREIGHTON
Auburn's fearless leader is 1-1 against the Bluejays, snagging a win with USC in 2018 before falling in the rematch in 2019.
WITH A WIN
A win would be the first for the Tigers over Creighton in program history. It would also represent the second victory in the NCAA Tournament for Auburn, previously earning a win in 2010 over Missouri State. An Orange and Blue victory would also give head coach Brent Crouch 22 victories on the season, tying the most in Auburn history since 1998 and tying for the most in his head coaching career (2018, USC 22-11).
TIGERS IN THE TOURNAMENT
Then-sophomore Sarah Bullock led all attackers with 12 kills, while senior Morgan Johns finished with 10 kills to lead the Tigers in its win over Missouri State in 2010. Camila Jersonsky put up solid numbers as the freshman tied the Auburn three-set record with nine total blocks. She also finished with five kills and hit .500 at the net. Johns and Bullock each added four blocks for Auburn.
The Orange and Blue would face then-No. 3 Nebraska, falling in three sets. Bullock finished with seven kills for the Tigers, while Johns and Kelly Fidero had four apiece. Junior setter Christina Solverson had 12 assists and senior libero Liz Crouch finished with a team-best seven digs.
CROUCH IN THE TOURNAMENT
Brent Crouch is making his third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Crouch's USC squads received invitations both years he was in Los Angeles. Crouch picked up a win in both 2018 and 2019 with the Trojans. His tournament record stands at 2-2.
UP NEXT
Should the Tigers advance to round two, they'll play the winner of Houston and South Dakota. The second-round match will be played on Saturday, Dec. 3 in Omaha.
Let's go dancing, Auburn Volleyball opens NCAA Tournament with host Creighton
