AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 24 Auburn Tigers earned its first SEC victory of the season on Sunday against Ole Miss. The Orange and Blue get another sturdy test, traveling to No. 14 Arkansas on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
First serve is set for 7 p.m. CT and the match is slated to be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
QUICK HITS
Head coach Brent Crouch has his squad back among the elite blocking teams in NCAA Volleyball. With 126 total team blocks so far this season, the Tigers have the most in the Southeastern Conference and are No. 31 in the nation in the category.
On six different occasions this season, Auburn has totaled at least 10 team blocks.
The Auburn offense has been equally impressive. Hitting .271 at the midway point, the Tigers own the fifth-highest percentage in the SEC and No. 26 in the country.
Auburn's win over Ole Miss on Sunday marked the team's third comeback after losing the first set this season. The Tigers are 3-0 when losing the first set in 2023. Over the last two seasons, Crouch's teams are 10-6 when dropping the first frame.
Senior setter Jackie Barrett notched her seventh double-double of the season in the win over the Rebels, including a season-high 17 digs. After a career-best 12 double-doubles last year, Barrett is on pace to set a new benchmark in 2023.
After missing out on the Tiger Invitational, sophomore outside hitter Akasha Anderson is rounding back into form. Anderson piled up 20 kills on Sunday, marking the second time the Reston, Virginia native has grabbed at least 20 kills.
Anderson has reached double-digits in kills in every match she's played in this season (10).
Stepping and stepping up in the absence of Kendal Kemp, Chelsey Harmon was an absolute presence at the net on Sunday. The senior middle blocker rejected a season-high eight Ole Miss attacks in the win.
Libero Sarah Morton is coming off her second 20-dig performance of the season on Sunday. Averaging a team-leading 3.26 digs per set, Morton ranks top-10 in the SEC.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Jason Watson has his Arkansas back in the top 15 for the first time in over two decades. The Razorbacks are already 2-0 in SEC play with wins over South Carolina and Texas A&M. However, it's been the non-conference schedule that has turned heads across the country. Arkansas took No. 1 Wisconsin to five sets back in August and boasts wins over Michigan and a stout Colorado State squad.
Setter Hannah Hogue has already won SEC Setter of the Week on three separate occasions in 2023. Hogue's 11.22 assists per set are second in the conference and No. 6 in the nation.
Dynamic outside hitters Jillian Gillen and Taylor Head are a force that's been hard to stop. Gillen's 4.98 points per set are second in the SEC and No. 17 in the country. Meanwhile, Head's 203 total kills are second in the conference and No. 24 in the nation. Both are also stellar defensively, ranking in the top 10 in the SEC in total digs.
As a team, Arkansas is one of the best serving teams in all of college volleyball. With 110 aces, the Razorbacks rank No. 11 in the country. They are also tops in the SEC in assists, total digs and total kills.
AUBURN-ARKANSAS SERIES
Arkansas owns a 41-12 overall record against the Tigers, including a 22-4 mark in Fayetteville. The last time Auburn took down the Razorbacks was a three-set sweep in 2018 in Neville Arena. The Orange and Blue's last win in Fayetteville came by way of a four-set win on Oct. 23, 2016.
UP NEXT
Auburn returns to Neville Arena on Sunday, Oct. 1 for a rivalry matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs at Noon CT. Admission is free but for those unable to make it to the plains, the match will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Stern road test awaits No. 24 Auburn Volleyball at No. 14 Arkansas
