AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 23 Tigers (14-4, 4-3) are back on the Plains for the first of two home matches this weekend when they take on Missouri (12-7, 4-4) on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. CT.
Friday's match marks Auburn's annual Dig Pink Night to raise awareness for Breast Cancer research. The first 250 fans in the building receive a free Auburn Volleyball Rally Towel and a pink shaker. Doors open at 5 p.m. CT. The match will also be televised live on the SEC Network.
QUICK HITS
The Tigers enter the week at No. 23 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll. It's the seventh straight week featuring in the top 25 for the Orange and Blue.
Head coach Brent Crouch is narrowing in on a major milestone in his career on the Plains. Sitting at 49 wins at Auburn, Crouch would become the fastest coach to 50 wins in the rally-scoring era if he achieved the feat this season.
Speaking of milestones, senior setter Jackie Barrett is only 31 assists away from taking over fifth all-time for the Tigers.
Barrett's distribution has led her offense to average a .250 hitting percentage, which would go down as a program record if the season ended today.
Auburn continues to be one of the better blocking teams in the country. Averaging 2.47 blocks per set, the Tigers are No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 49 in the country. Crouch's squad has also piled up 173 total team blocks, ranking third in the SEC and No. 62 in the nation.
The big block has led to Auburn's defense putting up big numbers in 2023. The Tigers are allowing opponents to hit just .190, the fourth-best percentage in the league.
Among the elite blockers includes Minnesota native Kendal Kemp. The sophomore is averaging 1.38 blocks per set individually, a mark that ranks second in the conference and No. 21 in all of Division I volleyball.
Fellow sophomore Akasha Anderson is the leading force offensively for Auburn. No. 1 in the SEC in attacks per set, the Reston, Virginia native is also seventh in points per set at 4.35.
LAST TIME OUT VS MISSOURI
Auburn split the season series in 2022. Both matches were played in Columbia as the Tigers found its first victory on the road against Missouri in program history in reverse sweep fashion. Anderson found 22 kills in game two but it wasn't enough as the Tigers returned to the plains with a split.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
After five seasons with UNLV, Dawn Sullivan takes over a Missouri team that won only nine games in 2022. The Tigers enter the weekend with 12 victories already, including impressive wins over South Carolina, Texas A&M and a five-set thriller over Ole Miss last Sunday.
Sullivan's squad are masters at preventing the ball from hitting the floor. At 14.64 digs per set, Missouri ranks second in the SEC and also ranks third in total digs with 1054.
Sophomore libero Maya Sands followed Sullivan over from UNLV and has quickly become one of the conference's best back row players. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week is No. 1 in the conference in digs per set (4.75) and total digs (342).
Freshman setter Sierra Dudley also picked up SEC honors for her performance last week. Dudley has reached 40 assists 10 times this season and has seven double-doubles entering the weekend.
AUBURN-MISSOURI SERIES
Missouri holds a 14-3 record over Auburn in a matchup that dates back to 1996. However, since Crouch arrived on the Plains, his Tigers are 2-2, including Auburn's first win in Columbia in program history last season.
UP NEXT
The Tigers are back in Neville Arena on Sunday, Oct. 22 for a date with South Carolina at 1 p.m. CT. Sunday is also Disney Day on the Plains. The first 250 kids in the building receive a free Disney-themed key chain.
No. 23 Auburn Volleyball welcomes Missouri for Dig Pink Night
