The Auburn Tigers play Florida State on Friday, Sept. 12, in Neville Arena at 6 p.m. CST. The match will stream on SEC Network+. The Tigers then hit the road to play at Tully Gymnasium on Sunday in Tallahassee, Florida, at 1 p.m. CST for the Seminoles’ first home match of the season.
The last matchup between these two teams was last year, when Auburn won 3-1. It marked the Seminoles’ third straight loss to the Tigers, as they have not beaten Auburn since 2017. In Neville Arena, Auburn is 2-1 against Florida State, but holds a 1-2 record in Tallahassee. Altogether, the two teams promise a competitive matchup this weekend.
The Tigers head into this match-up with a 5-1 record on a five-match winning streak, having dropped only one set in that span. They enter averaging 18.08 points per set and 13.42 kills per set, just tenths of a point above the Seminoles.
Last week, Auburn held its opponents to a .092 hitting percentage, the third-best mark in the conference and No. 13 in the nation. The Tigers also averaged 4.00 blocks per set, ranking No. 2 in the country and No. 1 in the SEC.
The Seminoles head into this matchup with a 3-1 record, including 1-1 on the road. They average 17.36 points per set and 13 kills per set. Florida State plays Wednesday night against Oklahoma before facing the Tigers.
Key players to watch in this match-up for Auburn are Kate Mansfield, who averages 2.33 blocks per set, leading the SEC and ranking third in the country. Last week, Mansfield recorded a career-high nine blocks in the Tigers’ win over Troy. Another key player is Alexis Dacosta, who averages 4.38 digs per set, ranking second in the conference.
Florida State has 14 new players on its roster this season, the most under coach Chris Poole. The group includes nine freshmen, the largest freshman class in program history. Promising freshman Nenu Kpea has played in all 14 sets for FSU so far and leads the team with 18 blocks and 1.29 blocks per set.
Other players to keep an eye on include Iane Henke, who leads the team with 57 kills, 4.07 kills per set and 10 aces. Kyleene Filimaua, the most experienced and productive returner for the Seminoles, had the best match of her career Sept. 9 against South Florida with 22 kills on 54 attempts. Former Sun Belt Libero of the Year Mio Yamamoto will also be a tough competitor for the Tigers. Yamamoto leads Florida State with 45 digs and has added seven aces.
Once again, these two will play Friday, September 12, at 6 PM CST in Neville Arena.
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Sarah is a sophomore majoring in public relations. She started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
