AUBURN, Ala. (WEGL) – After what could be considered a perfect week last week with a win over ranked Kentucky and rival Alabama, 24th ranked Auburn (13-1) continued their perfect streak in SEC play Friday night as they took down the Georgia Bulldogs (6-6) in 4 sets.
After an early 4-0 run by Auburn to start off set one, including an ace by freshman Lauren Dreves, sloppy play and errors outlined most of the early first set. Both teams combined for 18 total attacking errors in set number one. Auburn took off after a Erykah Lovett serve went wide, making the score 16-14 in favor of the Tigers. Auburn did not look back, with Lauren Dreves and Bella Bell combining for five kills in the final points to put the set away for Auburn, 25-19.
Set two was different from the first, and not in a good way for Auburn. Georgia pulled away 10-6 due to the incredible attacks of Erykah Lovett and AVCA Player of the Year watchlist candidate Sophie Fischer. The two Georgia attackers, along with mistakes from the Tigers’ setters and hitters being out of sync led to Auburn dropping the second set, 25-19.
Both teams found their groove in set three, as the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry of volleyball came to a head. Both the Tigers and Dawgs went on run after run, trading point for point and blow for blow. After a kill from Lakin Laurendine and a great service run by Paige Thibault, the Tigers sat up 24-22 on Georgia, but Sophie Fischer and an attack error by Laurendine knotted the set up at 24 apiece. Laurendine did not think much of the error, spiking down back to back kills to take set three, 26-24.
The final set of the night was another back and forth affair. Georgia took a huge five point advantage 12-7 over Auburn, trying to force a 5th set. Lauren Dreves, Bella Bell, and Madison Scheer had other plans. Scheer and Bell both scored a kill fighting back until the score was 17-15. Lauren Dreves stepped back to serve and nailed the heart of the Georgia defense for back to back aces to tie the set at 17. Auburn began to believe, and despite the Bulldogs pushing the lead to 22-20, the Tigers would not be denied. A kill from Bell Zimmerman tied the set at 23 all and a block by Bella Bell on Sophie Fischer gave Auburn match point. Georgia’s hit sailed over the back line and despite a review, the call would stand and Auburn would win set four, and the match, 25-23.
Paige Thibault reached 500 digs on her career with the 6 she tallied during the match. Bella Bell led the team with 13 kills on a very efficient .444 hitting percentage. Madison Scheer and Bel Zimmerman added 12 kills themselves. Peyton Dunn had another double-double with 23 assists and 12 digs. Alexis Dacosta, the Baylor transfer, led the defense with 20 digs.
Despite hitting only .179 as a team in hitting percentage, the Auburn defense got it done to extend the Tigers win streak to seven and improve to 13-1 and 3-0 in the SEC.
Auburn Women’s Volleyball continues SEC play this Sunday at Neville Arena as they host the Aggies of Texas A&M before heading to Starkville to take on Mississippi State next week. The match between the Aggies and Tigers will be called live on WEGL 91.1 FM at 2 p.m.
