No. 24 Auburn takes down Jaguars in Alabama showdown

MOBILE, Ala. – Down two units and trailing by as many as seven within the fourth, Auburn Volleyball flipped the script to run previous South Alabama, 3-2 (27-25, 23-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-8) and enhance to 8-1 on the season.

Early serving success for the Tigers gave Auburn a four-point lead halfway via the opening set. Madison Scheer led the best way with 4 kills whereas Bel Zimmerman was shut behind with three.

The Jaguars made a push close to the tip of the body to push it into additional factors. As soon as Auburn had the lead, although, they would not let it go. A Jackie Barrett and Kendal Kemp block sealed it, 27-25.

Akasha Anderson did all she may to take over the second set. After simply two kills within the first, Anderson exploded for 9 extra within the second.

Anderson would tie her career-high with 26 kills and ran down 11 digs for her first double-double of the season. Talking of profession bests, Barrett tied hers with 5 aces, Zimmerman set a brand new mark 4 herself with 4 and Syndey Handel stepped in to file a career-high 10 digs.

Nonetheless, a handful of errors each attacking and from the service line proved an excessive amount of to beat for the Tigers because the Jaguars tied the match at one set apiece.

Senior setter Jackie Barrett had the offense purring within the third set. Anderson swung for seven extra kills whereas the group hit .324. Barrett stacked up 48 assists and grabbed 11 digs for her fifth double-double of 2023.

The Jaguars have been simply as stout, although. South Alabama hit .378 and picked up three aces alongside the best way to safe a win within the third set and take the lead.

Fueled by the house crowd, the Jaguars as soon as once more ran out to a sizeable lead within the fourth. Trailing 9-2, Auburn had sufficient.

Kendal Kemp put down a kill, Anderson adopted with an ace and unexpectedly the Tigers had one thing brewing. Barrett saved issues going from the service line, dialing up a six-point run, giving her group all of the momentum they wanted.

As soon as Auburn sided out, Bel Zimmerman and Chelsey Harmon picked up the place Barrett left off. Blocks from Kemp and Scheer gave Brent Crouch’s squad much more power. Lead in hand, the Tigers weren’t giving it again.

Even when South Alabama crept inside one, 24-23, Zimmerman served up one of many coldest aces in 2023.

Crouch was 6-3 in five-setters final 12 months. This version of the Tigers weren’t about to damage that repute.

Zimmerman and Harmon kicked off the set with a thunderous block and every, together with Barrett, would maintain issues rolling on the service line.

Barrett directed an offense that hit .326 within the last stanza, which included 4 kills from Anderson. When the mud settled, Auburn left little question within the fifth, securing the set 15-8 and lengthening the group’s file to 8-1.

MATCH NOTES

• Auburn is now 1-0 in five-set matches this season. Crouch is now 9-8 at Auburn in five-setters
• The Tiger’s 14 aces have been probably the most beneath Crouch whereas at Auburn, the fourth-most in a single match in program historical past and probably the most since Auburn had 14 in opposition to Troy in 2010
• Auburn’s 81 digs have been a season-best and probably the most because the Tigers had 85 at LSU final October
• Auburn reached no less than 10 whole group blocks for the fourth time this season
• Madison Scheer reached double-digits in kills for the sixth time this season
• Akasha Anderson’s 26 kills tie a career-best
• Anderson additionally grabbed 11 digs for her first double-double of 2023
• Jackie Barrett tied her career-high with 5 aces
• Barrett (48 assists, 11 digs) additionally secured her fifth double-double of the season
• Bel Zimmerman’s 4 aces have been a career-high
• Zimmerman additionally reached the double-digit kill mark for the fourth time in 2023
• Sydney Handel’s 10 digs have been a career-best

CROUCH’S COMMENTS

“No, they do not prefer to lose. We have been a bit uneven tonight, we did not play nice. Akasha [Anderson] was again from sickness and appeared a bit off for the early elements of the match. When she settled down and began getting a bunch of kills, that coincided with us doing higher.

“The factor that actually saved us in it, as a result of we have been struggling in lots of the sides of the sport, was serving. We ended up with 14 aces and lots in that fourth-set turnaround. We work on serving a lot, and we’re turning into a great serving group. I feel Bel [Zimmerman] has the potential of being probably the greatest servers within the nation. She’s already probably the greatest within the convention.

“Chelsey [Harmon] got here in off the bench and I believed she did an important job bringing lots of power. Bel has been displaying us that she’s a great left-side attacker. We put her again on the precise now that Akasha was again however her numbers have been so good on the left. Madison [Scheer] had struggled a bit so we flipped them and that appeared to assist.”

UP NEXT

It is a fast turnaround for the Tigers because the Alabama Showdown continues in Cellular on Friday, Sept. 15 when Auburn takes on UAB at 2:30 p.m. CT. The Orange and Blue will spherical out the match in opposition to Samford on Saturday, Sept. 16 in opposition to Samford at Midday CT.