AUBURN, Ala, -- The first big test of the season awaits for the undefeated Auburn Tigers, as they will face the No. 15 Florida State Seminoles on Sunday afternoon to round out the Plainsman Invitational.
Both teams have fared well in the Plainsman Invitational, with the Tigers sweeping Troy, and both squads beating Cal Poly in straight sets. This will be the first top-25 opponent for Auburn, but not for Florida State. The Seminoles already have a quality win on their resume, as they took down the then No. 25 Georgia Bulldogs on home court.
These two teams matched up last season in Tallahassee, and it was the Tigers who came away with a four-set victory. Junior Madison Scheer and graduate student Bella Bell were big factors in that contest, combining for 27 kills and four blocks.
It’s likely to be no different this time around, with Scheer entering the contest tied for the team lead in kills and kills per set, and Bell already accumulating 48 kills of her own for a solid .265 hitting percentage.
However, another Tiger has emerged in 2024. Junior Bel Zimmerman, who did not have a single attempt after appearing in all four sets against the Seminoles last season, is red hot to start this year’s campaign. The 6-foot-2 junior is tied with Scheer for the most kills on the team and has the solo team lead with a hitting percentage of .316.
Defensively for Auburn, it has been Baylor transfer Alexis Dacosta who has made an immediate impact. The junior libero is averaging 5.08 digs per set, a mark that is good for second in the SEC and 25th in all of Division 1.
On the other side, the Seminoles have a very balanced attack with three hitters getting the majority of the swings. Graduate student Taylor Head, and seniors Audrey Koenig and Khori Louis have combined for 116 of Florida State’s 183 kills.
Another player that will hope to give Auburn hitters trouble is 6-foot-3 middle blocker Kelsey Perry. The redshirt sophomore already has 18 blocks in just four matches, two of them being unassisted.
Auburn has only won three contests over Florida State, trailing the Seminoles 13-3-1 in the all-time series. They will look to win their third consecutive match over the team from Tallahassee when the two meet in Neville Arena on Sunday.
The highly anticipated ACC vs. SEC matchup is scheduled for first serve at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday afternoon. Fans can tune in to SECN+ to take in the action.
