After a promising start, the Auburn (8-2, 0-1 SEC) volleyball team was unable to keep their momentum in a four-set loss to the visiting Ole Miss Rebels (12-0, 1-0 SEC).
The Tigers started strong in the first set pushed on by a raucous home crowd and quickly forced the visitors into a timeout with Auburn leading 9-3. Auburn continued to bring the heat going up 23-12 in the first set. However, the end of the first set saw the momentum begin to shift to the visitors, as Ole Miss scored 8 of the final 10 points in the first stanza.
Auburn still managed to win set one by a 25-20 margin, but the Tigers were never able to regain the momentum as the Rebels won the next three sets by scores of 25-19, 25-19, and 25-18.
Auburn hit 0.196 as a team but allowed Ole Miss to swing it at a 0.227 clip. As is typical, Auburn was led offensively by Rebekah Rath who finished with 19 kills on the evening. Val Green and Liz Reich also chipped in double digit kills with 12 and 10 respectively.
Sophomore setter Jackie Barrett finished with her fourth straight double-double (34 assists and 12 digs), while senior libero Bella Rosenthal finished with double digit digs (13) for the tenth consecutive match to begin this season. Kylee McLaughlin had a huge night for the Rebels finishing with 51 assists and 11 digs. Meanwhile, Anna Bair led the opposition with 16 kills.
Auburn will look to bounce back in their final non-conference tilt this Sunday when they travel to Montgomery to face the Alabama State Hornets.
