The volleyball team fell to the No. 1 Florida Gators in Auburn on Sunday afternoon in a hard-fought five-set match (23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 11-15).
The Tigers (17-11) kicked off the weekend with a three-set sweep over the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday. They carried the momentum into Sunday's match, where the Gators (22-1) were able to pull out a close win despite a great performance by the Auburn team.
The two teams last met at Gainesville, Fla., Oct. 15 where the Gators defeated the Tigers in three sets.
Auburn led the match early, staying ahead of Florida until late in the first set, allowing the Gators to grab the last two points for the win.
Florida did not regain the lead until the fourth set as Auburn dominated sets two and three.
While Auburn played well in the fourth and fifth sets, the Gators forced Auburn to chase a lead that proved too big in the end.
Despite the disappointment, the team was all smiles after the game, proud of its consistent effort and terrific overall performance against a top-ranked team.
"We played at our identity and with a little swagger," said coach Wade Benson. "We're a team that's going to be tough to beat and prepared to play every time."
Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Bullock had a great match, earning 20 kills and 17 digs, and senior outside hitter Morgan Johns had 14 kills.
Senior defensive specialist Liz Crouch added 18 digs to her record as the all-time dig leader for Auburn, extending her total to 1,587.
The Tigers will host Ole Miss Nov. 14, concluding this season's home matches and honoring the seniors who will make their last appearance for Auburn as players.
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