AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn faces another tough matchup in Neville Arena as the #24 Tigers (13-1) take on the Texas A&M Aggies (10-2).
This will be a battle of great offense versus an unstoppable defense. Texas A&M boasts the fifth-best hitting percentage in the SEC (.275), while the Tigers have one of the best defenses in the country, leading the SEC in opponent hitting percentage (.158), blocks per set (2.91), and digs per set (17.90).
These two teams matched up last season in College Station, and it was the Tigers who came out on top in a grueling five-set match.
It’s likely to be another hard-fought battle for the Tigers. This Aggie squad is much improved from last season, with both of their losses coming against top-10 opponents in Wisconsin and Texas.
The Aggies will need to figure out how to slow down Auburn's mighty freshmen, who seem to have a new game changer each week. Freshmen Lakin Laurendine and Lauren Dreves have both recorded double-doubles this season, and Grace Havelick was just named SEC Player of the Week after an incredible performance against Kentucky.
The veterans on this Tiger squad have been no joke either. Junior Alexis Dacosta is seventh in the SEC in digs per set with 3.78, while graduate student Chelsea McCurdy ranks seventh in blocks per set with 1.24. I didn’t even mention Bel Zimmerman, Bella Bell, or Madison Scheer, who have all been phenomenal this season.
The Aggies have their fair share of playmakers as well. Both juniors Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Morgan Perkins are in the top 10 in the SEC in hitting percentage, with averages of .406 and .391, respectively.
Another player who could give Auburn trouble is 6-foot-3 Logan Lednicky. The Sugar Land native has the sixth-most kills in the SEC with 183.
Auburn has won the last four contests against Texas A&M, despite trailing the Aggies 5-14 in the all-time series. They will look to win their fifth consecutive match against the team from College Station when the two meet in Neville Arena on Sunday.
The SEC matchup is scheduled for first serve at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday afternoon. Fans can tune in to SECN+ to catch the action or listen on WEGL 91.1.
