AUBURN, Ala. – For the second time in three weeks, the No. 25 Tigers will face No. 9 Florida on Friday, Oct. 6, this time in the Sunshine State. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. CT and the match will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus.
QUICK HITS
Auburn enters the week at No. 25 in the AVCA/Taraflex Coaches Poll. It's the fifth consecutive week the Orange and Blue have appeared inside the top 25.
The Tigers are coming off their third straight victory over rival Georgia and the fourth win under head coach Brent Crouch.
Madison Scheer has been downright electric for the Tigers this season. The sophomore is averaging a career-best 3.02 kills per set and her .255 hitting percentage was bolstered by a .414 performance against Georgia on Sunday. Scheer has eclipsed a .300 hitting percentage on four separate occasions in 2023.
Fellow sophomore Akasha Anderson remains the Tigers' workhorse on offense. At 3.81 kills per set, Anderson ranks seventh in the SEC and 55th in the nation. Her 4.37 points per set is also seventh in the conference and No. 56 in the country.
Senior setter Jackie Barrett has the Auburn offense operating at one of its highest levels in program history. The Tigers rank top 40 in the country in hitting percentage (.257) and second in the SEC in kills (750). If the season ended today, the .257 hitting percentage would be a program record by .022.
Head coach Brent Crouch has put an extra emphasis on blocks since arriving on the Plains. This season, the Tigers continue to block well up front, boasting 2.36 blocks per set, the fifth-best mark in the conference and top 70 in the country.
Returning from injury, it felt like Kendal Kemp never left against the Bulldogs. The Eagan, Minnesota native put down eight kills on 12 swings with zero errors on Sunday.
Junior transfer Paige Thibault is rounding into form midway through the season. After securing 10 digs versus Georgia, the Minnesota product has eclipsed double digits in two of her last three matches.
LAST TIME OUT VS. FLORIDA
Auburn went toe-to-toe with then No. 3 Florida in front of one of the largest volleyball crowds in the history of Neville Arena. Akasha Anderson led the way with a match-high 18 kills while Jackie Barrett posted her sixth double-double of the season (40 assists, 12 digs) but it wasn't quite enough as the Gators bested the Tigers in five sets, 3-2 (20-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-19, 17-15).
SCOUTING FLORIDA
Florida dropped its first SEC match of the season last weekend to Texas A&M in another five-setter for the Gators. Five of the last six matches Florida has played in have gone the full five sets.
Freshmen right side Kennedy Martin continues to be impressive in her first campaign in Gainesville. Martin ranks top 10 in the SEC in kills per set, points per set and blocks per set.
Speaking of blocks, the Gators remain one of the best blocking teams in the country. At 2.63 blocks per set, Florida ranks second in the conference and No. 21 in the nation. As a team, Mary Wise's squad is top five in the SEC in blocks per set, hitting percentage (.263), assists (651), kills (699) and total blocks (144.5).
Transfer Anna Dixon has also settled into a new role in a new location. The former Missouri Tiger is eighth in the SEC in hitting percentage (.340) and third in total kills with 213.
AUBURN-FLORIDA SERIES
Although Auburn won its first set against Florida for the first time since 2018, the Tigers are still looking for its first victory over the Gators since 2015. A win in Gainesville would be the first in program history.
No. 25 Auburn Volleyball begins road stint in Gainesville
