Alabama Volleyball Heads to SEC Tournament
11/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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TUSCALOOSA - The University of Alabama volleyball team takes its eight match Southeastern Conference win streak to Columbia, S.C., this weekend to play in the SEC Championship Tournament. The Tide, seeded No. 3, faces tournament host and No. 6 seed South Carolina at 6 p.m. (ET) on Friday night.
Alabama posted a 17-12 overall record during the regular season including an 11-5 mark in league play. The Tide's 11 victories matched the school record for SEC wins set in 2000. UA's string of eight consecutive SEC wins is the longest in program history. Alabama defeated USC, 3-1, on Nov. 2 in Tuscaloosa giving the Tide its second straight win over the Gamecocks. UA upset then No. 18 ranked South Carolina, 3-0, in the opening round of the 2002 SEC Tournament.
First round opponent South Carolina enters Friday's match with a 12-16, 6-10 record. The Gamecocks have lost three straight and 9 of their last 11.
The Crimson Tide owns a 6-13 all-time record at the SEC Tournament and has won its opening round match in each of the past two seasons. Alabama is 1-1 all-time against USC in the tournament and is also 1-1 when playing the event in Columbia. In 1996, last-seeded Alabama upset No. 3 seed Kentucky, 3-2, in the opening round of the SEC Tournament played in Columbia.
Other opening round matches on Friday include No. 1 Florida vs No. 8 Kentucky at 1 p.m. (ET), No. 4 Tennessee vs No. 5 Georgia at 3 p.m. (ET) and No. 2 Arkansas vs No. 7 LSU at 8 p.m. (ET).
With a win over South Carolina on Friday night, the Tide would advance to the semifinals for a match against the winner of the Arkansas-LSU match on Saturday at 5 p.m. (ET). The SEC Championship match is scheduled for 1 p.m. (ET) on Sunday and will be televised live by Fox Sports Net South.
Alabama volleyball fans can follow all of the SEC Tournament action via livestats on the internet at www.uscsports.com.
