AUBURN, Ala. – Another year of Auburn Volleyball is underway and the Tigers are already back to their winning ways. The Orange and Blue opened the season with a 3-1 (24-26, 25-17, 25-15, 25-18) victory over Coppin State to kickstart the 2023 campaign.
Head coach Brent Crouch's crew opened up to an early lead after a pair of blocks from middles Kyla Swanson and Kendal Kemp.
However, serving woes swung the momentum back toward the Eagles. Madison Scheer piled up five kills in the first set alone. Newcomer Bella Bell added three of her own, as did Akasha Anderson but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit as Coppin State took the first frame.
The Tigers roared back with determination, though, as two Swanson aces gave Auburn a 5-1 lead to begin set No. 2.
The rest of the frame was a steady dose of Auburn offense. Transfer setter Peyton Dunn was distributing balls left, right and center allowing the likes of Scheer, Anderson, Bell and Kemp all to get solid swings.
Scheer would lead the way with four kills in the second set. The sophomore from Eureka, Missouri would finish the night with a team-leading 16 kills on .293 hitting.
Anderson, Bell and Kemp each added three kills of their own in the second, making quick work of Coppin State to tie up the match at one set apiece.
Sarah Morton was not going to let a ball touch the ground in the third set. Of her 24 digs (two shy of a career-best) nine of them came in the third stanza. Coupled with a pair of serving runs from Zoe Slaughter and Kendal Kemp, the Tigers took command of the frame.
Scheer tallied another five kills and Bell's three kills and two blocks were more than enough to put Auburn over the top and take a 2-1 lead.
Once Auburn had the advantage, there was no turning back. Swanson, Slaughter, Morton and Paige Thibault each contributed at the service line but it was Bella Bell who put the game away with thunderous authority.
Her six kills on ten swings left no doubt about Auburn's first win of the season.
Bell's debut on the right side and in the Orange and Blue included 14 kills on a massive .480 hitting percentage and three blocks.
Anderson put the final kill away at the end of set four for her 16th kill of the night, giving the Tigers its opening day victory for the third season in a row.
MATCH NOTES
- Bella Bell, Kyla Swanson, Peyton Dunn and Paige Thibault each made their Auburn debut as starters
- Madison Scheer and Akasha Anderson each collected 16 kills on the evening
- Bella Bell also reached double-figure kill totals with 14
- Bell's .480 hitting percentage was a match-high
- Sarah Morton's 24 digs were a match-high and two shy of a career-best
- Thibault also managed double-digit digs with 10
- Auburn has won on opening day for the third consecutive season, the second-longest streak in the rally-scoring era
CROUCH'S COMMENTS
"First match of the year and we clearly had some jitters in that opening set. It was nice to see everyone settle down as the match went on. Our offense looked fine, especially in sets two three and four. We started four new people out there in our transfers. I was glad to see them play well tonight. Obviously, I don't know them as well so I wanted to get them out there early and I thought they all performed well. We got what we wanted out of the match. We got to see people play at a high level and we got the win."
On Bella Bell playing right side
"It was great to get Bella going on the right side. It was the first time in her career playing on the right in an official match. She got 25 sets and hit .480. That was the idea when we talked to her about it. She's got a great arm and if she was in the middle we just weren't going to get her the ball as much as we needed to.
UP NEXT
Auburn turns right around to play on Saturday morning against McNeese State at 10 a.m. CT. The Tigers will also match up versus Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. CT. Admission is free and doors open an hour before the match.