Auburn volleyball defeated the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday to remain undefeated in the SEC with an overall season record of 13-1.
The Tigers won the match 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 26-24, 25-23). They dominated the first set, starting it on a strong note with a serving ace from Lauren Dreves. In the first set, the Tigers had 12 kills, 21 digs, and a .256 hitting percentage. Dreves shone on the net with six kills. Following its strong start, Auburn struggled offensively to the start off the second set, a familiar situation for the Tigers.
“At the beginning of every game, we talk about let’s start strong, let’s start fast,” said libero Alexis Dacosta. “We don’t want to go to fifth sets, we don’t want to go to fourth sets, we want to get it done as fast as we can, getting together and having the most energy we can to finish this strong.”
The Tigers fought hard in the second set, but they fell to Georgia 19-25. Their hitting percentage dropped to a .105 compared to Georgia’s .278 percentage on 14 kills. Georgia’s Sophia Fischer performed particularly well, picking up seven kills in the second set. Fischer finished the match with 14 kills.
Auburn regained its energy at the start of the third set, with kills from Madison Scheer and Bella Bell roaring off to a 4-1 start. Georgia fought back, and the two traded points back and forth until Georgia managed a 3-0 scoring run to put the Bulldogs up 15-13. However, Auburn’s bench rallied to help bring home the third set.
“We weren’t getting things going really well in the middle of the third and then Lakin (Laurendine) came in. And our bench is doing a really good job. Fantastic,” said Auburn head coach Brent Crouch. “Every time we put somebody in, they’re contributing and making a difference. And Lakin came in and made a big difference in that third set.”
Laurendine recorded three crucial kills to help Auburn come back and win the third set. Other bench players that made an impact were Bel Zimmerman, who had a total of 12 kills, and Paige Thibault, who had six digs. After fighting back, Auburn won the third set 26-24 and finished with 16 kills, 27 digs, five blocks, and a .196 hitting percentage.
The fourth set started close, with neither team being able to get more than a four point lead over the other. Scheer stood out with four kills, helping Auburn stay close. The defense again stood strong against the aggressive Georgia offense. Georgia recorded 13 kills, but the Auburn defense tallied 14 digs and two blocks, offsetting the Georgia offense. A standout from the defense was Thibault, who was serving for Dacosta due to thumb pain. Thibault served the last three points of the game, playing a vital role in the 25-23 victory.
Auburn University Volleyball player Alexis Dacosta (#15) saves the ball against the University of Georgia on Oct. 4, 2024.
Auburn ended the night with 50 kills, 77 digs, nine blocks, and a .179 hitting percentage. Team leaders included Dacosta with 20 digs, Bell with a .444 hitting percentage and 13 kills, and Grace Havlicek with five blocks.
Auburn’s next matchup is Texas A&M at Neville Arena on Sunday, Oct. 6. First serve is at 2:00 p.m. CST and can be streamed on ESPN.
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Jackie is a freshman majoring in Drug and Biopharmaceutical Sciences. She started with The Plainsman in fall 2024.
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