AUBURN, Ala. – Looking to keep its winning ways going against Georgia, No. 24 Auburn Volleyball (14-5, 5-4) heads to Athens for the final matchup with the Bulldogs (13-7, 4-4) this season on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. CT.
The match will be streamed live on the SEC Network Plus.
QUICK HITS
Head coach Brent Crouch has enjoyed a bevy of success in rivalry matches on the Plains. Since his arrival in Auburn, Crouch is 4-1 versus Georgia and a perfect 4-0 against the Crimson Tide.
Graduate Kyla Swanson has put up an absolute wall lately. The Wahoo, Nebraska native collected 18 blocks last weekend against Missouri and South Carolina. In the victory over the Gamecocks, Swanson rejected a career-high 11 USC attacks.
Speaking of career-highs, Madison Scheer set a new best for kills (24) in the win over South Carolina. Already with a National Player of the Week award to her name, Scheer hit .333 on 50 swings to topple the Gamecocks in a five-set thriller.
Not to be outdone, junior Paige Thibault stepped into the starting libero role and rose to the occasion. A strong point in a depleted back row for the Tigers, Thibault ran down a career-high 23 digs.
There's no question Auburn is among the elite blocking teams in the nation. At 2.54 blocks per set, the Tigers rank third in the SEC and No. 31 in the country entering the weekend. Crouch's squad is also second in the conference with 198 total blocks.
Senior setter Jackie Barrett continues to etch her name in Auburn Volleyball history. Now at 2,697 assists, Barrett ranks fifth all-time. She needs 545 more to move past Mary Orndorff for fourth.
Barrett has led an offense that is averaging a .246 hitting percentage. If the season ended today, the mark with would be a new school record for the Tigers.
LAST TIME OUT VS GEORGIA
Akasha Anderson snagged a match-high 17 kills while Madison Scheer added 14 of her own in a four-set win over the Bulldogs. Paige Thibault led the Tigers with 10 digs while Jackie Barrett directed an offense that hit .262. The victory marked the third straight against Georgia.
SCOUTING GEORGIA
Even though Auburn handed the Bulldogs its third straight loss at the beginning of October, Georgia is riding a three-match winning streak, including an impressive sweep over a Texas A&M squad that's receiving votes in the AVCA top 25 Coaches Poll.
As a team, the Bulldogs rely heavily on forcing their opponents out of system from the service line. Entering the weekend, Georgia ranks second in the SEC in aces per set with 1.79. The mark is also No. 48 in the country.
Senior middle blocker Sophie Fischer is in elite company this season. The South Carolina native ranks third in the conference in blocks per set (1.30), ninth in hitting percentage (.326), fifth in kills per set (4.00), first in points per set (5.14) and fourth in aces (30).
Clara Bower is the one serving up the balls for Fischer to kill. The junior setter is averaging an even 10.00 assists per set, aiding Fischer's big season as well as outside hitting Kacie Evans, who's managing 3.37 kills per set herself.
AUBURN-GEORGIA SERIES
Auburn enters the weekend with a 24-39 record against its rival to the east. However, Crouch has guided the Tigers to wins in four of the last five matches, including each of the last three. The last time Auburn played in Athens, the Tigers split a pair of matches played back-to-back in 2021.
UP NEXT
Auburn turns around and heads west to Tuscaloosa for the first of two matchups with the Crimson Tide this season on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 11 a.m. CT. The Tigers won't be back to Neville Arena until Nov. 8 when the team hosts Kentucky.
No. 24 Tigers kick off rivalry weekend at Georgia
