AUBURN, Ala. – Following a gritty performance against No. 3 Florida, the No. 24 Auburn Tigers host Ole Miss on Sunday, Sept. 24, eyeing a bounce-back victory.
First serve is set for 2 p.m. CT. Admission is free and the doors open one hour before. Sunday also marks Kids Day in Neville Arena. A free kids clinic will begin 10 minutes after the conclusion of the match.
QUICK HITS
Sophomore outside hitter Madison Scheer is barreling in on 500 career kills. The Eureka, Missouri native sits at 497 entering Sunday's match against Ole Miss. She'd be the second sophomore in her class to achieve the feat behind Akasha Anderson.
Anderson has played in nine matches this season and has reached at least 10 kills in each of her appearances. The sophomore has also had at least 15 kills in five of those matches, including tying her career high with 26 kills against South Alabama.
Last season, setter Jackie Barrett led the Orange and Blue with 12 double-doubles in 31 matches. Following Friday's double-double against No. 3 Florida, the Highland, California native has already collected six in the first 12 matches of 2023. Barrett's 9.64 assists per set also rank seventh in the conference.
Transfer Bella Bell has started to settle into a newfound position on the right side. Bell has totaled double-digit kills in five matches this season and her .358 hitting percentage ranks eighth in the SEC. Among active attackers in the conference, Bell's .364 career hitting percentage ranks No. 2.
As a team, the Tigers are hitting .279, the fourth-best percentage in the conference
Sarah Morton continues to flex her muscles in the back row. The Munster, Indiana product has compiled at least 10 digs in six of the nine matches she's appeared in this season, including a 24-dig performance against Coppin State. Morton's 3.06 digs per set ranks 10th in the conference and top 15 in the country.
Fellow back-row members Zoe Slaughter and Paige Thibault are each trending in the right direction. Slaughter has picked up double-digit dig totals in four straight matches, including a career-high 29 against South Alabama. Thibault has grabbed at least seven digs in each of her last four matches.
Auburn's two set wins against Florida marked the first time the Tigers had won a set over the Gators since 2018.
SCOUTING OLE MISS
After taking the reigns late in 2022, Bre Henry begins her second season at Ole Miss. The Rebels arrive in Neville Arena with a 7-5 overall record, including a 1-0 mark in the SEC thanks to a sweep over Alabama on Friday.
Sophomore setter Aly Borellis has distributed the offense well to begin 2023. The Rebels are hitting .247 as a team and her 10.9 assists per set rank third in the SEC and No. 13 in the country.
Ole Miss' middle blocking duo of Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch have been difficult to stop. Both are hitting north of .400 this season. Brgoch's .437 average is No. 1 in the conference and 18th in the nation.
Libero Cammy Niesen has also done her part defensively. At 4.56 digs per set, Niesen is No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference. As a team, the Rebels are also tops in the SEC at 14.73 digs per set.
AUBURN-OLE MISS SERIES
Ole Miss owns a 36-32 record against the Tigers. However, the Tigers are 14-11 on the Plains and have won seven of the last 10 matchups. Last season, Auburn took down the Rebels in four sets in Oxford.
No. 24 Auburn Volleyball eyes bounce-back win against Ole Miss
