Alabama
Missouri
Alabama Volleyball Hosts Missouri in Annual Power of Pink Match Sunday
10/15/2016 8:30:00 AM | Volleyball
THIS WEEKEND
Sunday, Oct. 16 vs. Missouri (15-3, 6-0 SEC)
1:30 p.m. CT - Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Foster Auditorium
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Live Stats: rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaVBall
SCOUTING ALABAMA (14-5, 3-3 SEC)
- Alabama returned home after three straight road matches with a four-set win over Mississippi State Wednesday night.
- Krystal Rivers' career kills total now sits at 1,872, which is 218 shy of Erin Heffner's (2001-04) career record of 2,090. Rivers is averaging 5.80 kills per set this season, which is the highest rate of her career and currently ranks second all-time at Alabama. Her career average is at 4.28 kills per set, which is also third in Tide history.
- Rivers leads the SEC in kills (429, 5.80/set) and is sixth in service aces (26, 0.35/set) while Shannon Mikesky ranks fourth in assists (786, 10.92/set).
- Alabama's team hitting percentage of .245 ranks sixth all-time at Alabama. Among the top six team hitting percentages in program history, three of those have come under Ed Allen, including the fourth-place mark of .254 set in 2013 and the school-record mark of .264 set in 2014.
THE OPPONENT
Missouri Tigers
- Southeastern Conference
- 2016 Record: 15-3 (6-0 SEC)
- Head Coach: Wayne Kreklow (17th season)
- Record at Missouri: 246-125 (.663)
2016 Stat Leaders:
- Attack pct. – Kira Larson - .291
- Kills – Melanie Cow – 243
- Assist – Courtney Eckenrode – 556
- Digs – Alexa Ethridge – 254
- Blocks – Alyssa Munlyn – 76
- Aces - Melanie Cow – 36
ALABAMA VS. THE OPPONENT
- 3-5 vs. Missouri
- Current Streak: - Missouri 1
- First Meeting: Sept. 7, 2002 (Crimson Tide Invitational – Tuscaloosa, Ala.) -Alabama 1, Missouri 3
- Last Meeting: Oct. 28, 2015 (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) - Alabama 2, Missouri 3
- Last Meeting in Tuscaloosa: Oct. 11, 2015 - Alabama 3, Missouri 2
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMAÂ DEFEATS MISSISSIPPI SATTE IN FOUR SETS
- Alabama 3, Mississippi State 1 Alabama volleyball made its return to Foster Auditorium after three-straight road matches with a four-set win over Mississippi State Wednesday night, falling in the first set 21-25 before winning three straight by scores of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-21. Alabama hit .315 as a team, its highest hitting percentage in SEC play this season, while limiting Mississippi State to a .208 clip. Leah Lawrence led the way with a season-high .600 hitting percentage and was equally strong at the service line, scoring four aces for the second-straight match. Brittany Thomas posted her second double-double of the season, finishing with 11 kills and 15 digs along with a season-best .409 hitting percentage. Quincey Gary, making her second start at libero, led the defensive effort in the back row with a career-best 22 digs.
STANDOUTS VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
- Junior Leah Lawrence led the team with a .600 hitting percentage against the Bulldogs, totaling 10 kills on 15 swings with just one error. Her performance from the service line was equally as impressive, scoring four service aces for the second-straight match. Her four aces against Mississippi State were even more impressive considering they came on consecutive points in the third set.
- Senior Brittany Thomas hit above .400 for the first time this season, posting a .409 clip with 11 kills on 22 swings with two errors. She added 15 digs for her second double-double of the season.
- Senior Krystal Rivers surpassed 30 kills for the third time this season and the second in conference play, leading the team with 31 kills. She also added 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the year.
- Sophomore Quincey Gary made her second start at the libero position and anchored the back-row defense, posting a career-best 22 digs. Gary has increased her career high in digs in three of the last four matches, starting with 12 at Georgia (Sept. 30) before earning 14 at Auburn (Oct. 9) and 22 on Wednesday against the Bulldogs.
RIVERS IN THE RECORD BOOKS
As Krystal Rivers nears the end of her Crimson Tide career, the fifth-year senior is poised to finish among the top 10 in numerous career categories at Alabama. With 1,872 kills, she is 218 away from tying Erin Heffner's (2001-04) school record of 2,090. Similarly, she is only 206 points away from tying Heffner's career record of 2,391.5.
Krystal Rivers Career Rankings at Alabama
- Kills - 2nd (1,872)
- Points - 2nd (2,185.5)
- Kills per set - 3rd (4.28)
- Points per set - 3rd (5.00)
- Attack Percent - 4th (.325)
- Attacks - 4th (4,030)
- Solo Blocks - 6th (65)
- Block Assists - 7th (269)
- Total Blocks - 8th (334)
ALABAMA IN SEC PLAY UNDER ED ALLEN
Alabama has seen unprecedented success in the SEC under head coach Ed Allen, posting double-digit win totals in each of the last three years, the longest such stretch in program history. Prior to Allen's arrival in 2011, Alabama had only won 10 or more games in conference play six times since the program was reinstated in 1989. With 49 SEC wins, Allen is just one win away from his 50th conference victory. Former head coach Judy Green (1996-2010) is the only other coach in program history with at least 50 conference wins, though she did not hit that mark until her eighth season, while Allen is currently in his sixth.
ALABAMA INÂ THE RPI
Alabama is ranked No. 39 in the latest RPI rankings, released Monday by the NCAA. The Tide is ranked fifth among SEC teams, trailing Florida (9), Kentucky (17), Missouri (27) and Texas A&M (36). Alabama has faced four teams ranked in the top 50 so far this season with a 2-2 record against them, including wins over Texas A&M (36) and Temple (48).
NEXT TIME OUT: AT ARKANSAS / OLE MISS
Friday, Oct. 21 at Arkansas (3-14, 1-4 SEC) - 7 p.m. CT
Fayetteville, Ark. - Barnhill Arena
Sunday, Oct. 23 at Ole Miss (12-6, 1-4 SEC) - 1:30 p.m. CT
Oxford, Miss. - Gillom Sports Center
