AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn volleyball dropped its Friday night match in five sets to the Georgia Bulldogs. The Auburn attack was strong in the defeat with a season-high 71 kills. Auburn saw incredible offensive production from Grace Havlicek with 13 kills on 19 attempts, hitting .579 to go along with seven blocks. Shanelle Puetz set a career high with 57 assists as the only setter in a 5-1 system for the first time this season.
After Auburn opened the match on a 4-0 run, Georgia responded with a 7-1 run to take a lead it would hold onto for the majority of the set. Georgia opened the lead to 17-11 before Auburn returned with a 10-3 run to take the lead on a Symone Sims ace. Georgia immediately tied the set and used an ace to take a 24-22 lead, winning the set two points later on a Bianna Muoneke kill, 25-23.
The Tigers took the first strong lead of the second set at 13-9 on a block from Kate Mansfield and Havlicek. Auburn expanded the lead to six points on an Eden Bower kill at 18-12. Georgia would close within one point with an 8-3 run, but Auburn fended off the comeback with another Mansfield-Havlicek block, a Belle Patrick kill, and an Anastasija Ivkovic kill to clinch the set, 25-22. Auburn hit .312 with an errorless set from Eden Bower, logging four kills on seven attacks. The Tigers stuffed Georgia six times in the set, tied for the most in a set this season.
With the third set knotted at 16-16, Auburn used a 5-2 run to force a Georgia timeout at 21-18. Auburn and Georgia sided out for the remainder of the set. The Tigers clinched the set victory on a Havlicek kill. Havlicek finished the set a perfect six-for-six with a pair of blocks. Sims was all over the floor with eight digs in the set.
Georgia used a 6-1 run in the middle of the set to take a 14-10 lead. The Bulldogs kept their lead at a distant four points until Auburn scored four straight to tie at 21-21. The teams traded points until a 24-24 tie, with Georgia earning the edge each time. Down 25-24, an Auburn attack error gave the set to Georgia to force the match to a fifth set.
After a 5-5 tie, the Bulldogs went on an 8-2 run to put the Tigers in a deep hole in the decisive set. Out of a timeout, Auburn ground out five straight points to pull within a point. However, Georgia used its second timeout of the set, killing the Tigers' momentum and reaching match point on a Muoneke kill. Havlicek responded to cut the Georgia lead back down to just one, but Muoneke's 27th kill of the match sealed the win for Georgia.
NOTABLES
- Havlicek's hitting percentage increased 14 points following the match. Havlicek currently qualifies as Auburn's best single-season hitter with a .394 hitting percentage.
- Havlicek's 13 kills were her SEC-high this season.
- Puetz's 57 assists were a career-high. Her three blocks were tied for a career-best.
- Puetz's assist total was the highest by a Tiger this season.
- Mansfield's seven digs were a career-best.
- Auburn averaged 2.92 blocks per set across the last three matches. Havlicek, individually, averaged 1.69 blocks per set across the three matches.
TIGER STANDOUTS
- Havlicek led all Auburn hitters with a .579 hitting percentage with 13 kills and two errors on 19 attacks. Havlicek also led Auburn with seven blocks.
- Patrick led all Tigers with 17 kills. She hit .205 on 44 attacks. Patrick's 17 kills were her most since the SEC opener at Arkansas, 29.
- Puetz was one dig shy of a 57-assist double-double. Puetz also logged four kills and three blocks playing the front row for the first time since Oct. 9 at Vanderbilt. Puetz led Auburn with a pair of aces.
- Emily Keiran and Sims each had 16 digs to lead the team. Sims's 16 digs were her season-high in SEC play.
- Bower's nine kills were her most as a Tiger. Bower hit .280 and logged a block with four digs.
- Emma Moore hit .333 with eight kills on 18 attempts. Moore's six blocks gave her 11.0 points, a career-high.
HEAD COACH BRENT CROUCH
- "We got what we expected out of Georgia; they kept feeding Muoneke, but we could not stop her. It's hard to stop 27 kills, and she just took over in the fifth set. I was happy with those who stepped up for us. Shanelle was good in a 5-1 for the first time this season. Eden had a strong first pair of sets. Our middles and [defensive specialists] were great, but it just was not enough to get it done. That's going to happen at times in this league, but that's one we need to walk away with a win."
UP NEXT
- Auburn closes out its 2026 homestand with senior day on Sunday. The Tigers will take on South Carolina at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, with senior celebratory ceremonies taking place after the match.
—War Eagle—