After a tough loss on the road against South Carolina on Sunday afternoon, the Tigers seek a win on its home court against the Ole Miss Rebels. Synonymously, Ole Miss looks to bounce back after a three-set deficit loss to No.14 Kentucky.
Auburn (14-6) and Ole Miss (13-7) are almost in the same boat. Both SEC teams want redemption, proving a tight matchup is underway.
Auburn must be executing at a high level as Ole Miss capitalizes on team errors. In its previous matchup against Kentucky, the Rebels fed on Wildcat errors to keep the score knotted at 11-11 in the first set.
However, Auburn should be able to hold its own. Lauren Dreves went on a 6-0 serving run last game giving the Tigers momentum at the start. But, this slowly faded as the match progressed.
Auburn Head Coach Ben Crouch deemed this crucial in their loss to South Carolina.
“This league is just too difficult and the margins are too thin to let down in any way,” Crouch said. “You have to be able to bring the right focus each and every set.”
Ole Miss specializes in blocks, as Payton Brgoch is one of the top middle blockers in the conference. Brgoch led the Rebels with four blocks against the Wildcats and averaged a .273 hitting percentage.
That is to say, Ole Miss may want to watch Auburn’s right-side hitter Bella Bell as she excelled last game, discovering three kills to lead the Tiger on her six swings.
Aggressiveness and determination on offense are undeniable tactics in this matchup. But it ultimately comes down to the amount of errors on both sides of the net.
Auburn, seeking a home victory inside the friendly confines of Neville Arena, faces the Ole Miss Rebels on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. CST. The match can be streamed on the SEC Network+.
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Morgan is a junior majoring in journalism. She joined the Plainsman in the fall of 2024.
