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A spirit that is not afraid

Tigers lack consistency

The Tigers (9-11, 3-7 SEC) are aiming to settle the score and defeat the Tennessee Volunteers in the teams' second match of the season Friday at 7 p.m.

The volleyball team will play host to Tennessee after four consecutive conference losses.

Sarah Bullock, junior in public relations, said despite the recent losses she is proud of what the team has accomplished and anticipates a win Friday night.

"Yes, it was a loss, but we didn't play poorly," Bullock said. "LSU plays a strong game, but we were always able to fight back when they got on a run. We even got some runs in ourselves."

Coach Rick Nold said practice would remain the same for the team as it prepares for the upcoming match. Serving and staying focused throughout the game will continue to be key focal points for the team.

"We want the team to play with the same identity throughout the season," Nold said. "Serving has been a point of focus for this season. We will continue with those drills and make sure we remember to keep high energy throughout the game."

The Vols will travel to Auburn fresh off a road win against Mississippi State. Kelly Fidero, senior in health promotion, said she believes the recent losses will energize the team for the upcoming match.

"We need to be much more aggressive on the court," Fidero said. "The game against LSU told us we don't have one weak point. We are a strong team; we just have to keep that energy up."

After a strong start to the season, the team has experienced trouble keeping a lead in sets, as well as staying consistent throughout the match to ensure a win.

"We are a different team on the road than at home," Bullock said. "We have had a lot of trouble keeping high energy when we aren't playing at home. Hopefully this Friday's match will bring back the momentum we had."

Friday will serve as the second match between the two in-conference rivals. The match will kick off a second round of matches against SEC schools the Tigers have already faced this season.

Fidero said she believed there was much to be learned from each school, and she hopes the second time meeting the teams will favor Auburn.

"Each time we play a team there is something to learn," Fidero said. "Even in the case of a loss, we can see where we were weak and what needs to be worked on."

Nold said he hopes the team will put the recent losses behind it and continue forward with enthusiasm to finish out the second half of the season successfully.

"Our serving wasn't where it needed to be in these last few games," Nold said. "We need to be much more aggressive, but we've been happy with the improvement, and we are anxious to get back on the court."

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