Alabama
Alabama State
Alabama Volleyball Travels to Montgomery to Face Alabama State Thursday
10/11/2017 1:22:00 PM | Volleyball
THIS WEEK
Alabama (13-6, 2-4 SEC) at Alabama State (16-7, 9-0 SWAC)
Thursday, Oct. 12 – 7 p.m. CT
Montgomery, Ala. – Lockhart Gymnasium
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- Alabama is 13-6 overall this season and 2-4 in Southeastern Conference play. Last time out, Alabama earned a five-set comeback win over Tennessee Sunday.
- The Tide is ranked No. 50 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, with seven matches remaining against higher-ranked opponents including Florida (2), Kentucky (3), Auburn (21), Missouri (35), Texas A&M (38) and two against LSU (40).
- After road matches this week at Alabama State and LSU, seven of Alabama's remaining 11 matches will be played at home. Under head coach Ed Allen, the Tide is 70-28 (.714) all-time in Foster Auditorium, including a 7-1 record this season.
- Senior Leah Lawrence currently leads the offense with 186 kills and a .348 hitting percentage, followed closely in kills by freshman Christine Jarman's 181. Lawrence also leads the team with 23 service aces and 79 blocks. Freshman setter Meghan Neelon has 719 assists, averaging 10.1 per set, and junior libero Quincey Gary leads the defense with 335 digs.
LAST WEEK: ALABAMA FALLS TO KENTUCKY, RALLIES FOR FIVE-SET WIN OVER TENNESSEE
- Kentucky 3, Alabama 1: After dropping the opening set, 15-25, Alabama volleyball rebounded with a 25-23 victory in set two against No. 10 Kentucky to even the match at 1-1, but the Wildcats eventually won sets three and four by scores of 25-21 and 25-20, respectively, to hand the Tide the four-set loss. Alabama hit .400 as a team in the second set against 10th-ranked Kentucky but struggled offensively in the rest of the match with a combined .113 hitting percentage in the other sets. Sophomore Ginger Perinar led the offense with a season-high 14 kills while freshmen Christine Jarman and Meghan Neelon each earned their fifth double-double of the season. Jarman finished the match with 11 kills and 10 digs while Neelon posted 40 assists and 10 digs.
- Alabama 3, Tennessee 2: Alabama won the opening set, 25-20, before Tennessee evened the match with a 25-23 win in the second. The Volunteers took the match lead with a 25-18 win in set three before the Tide rallied with the narrow two-point victory in the fourth, 25-23, and a gutsy 15-9 win in the fifth. With the win, Alabama remains undefeated in five-set matches this season, posting a 4-0 record including two wins in conference play. Three Tide players posted career highs in kills, led by senior Leah Lawrence with 19 along with sophomores Ginger Perinar and Mahalia Swink with 18 and 14, respectively. Freshman Meghan Neelon posted her team-leading sixth double-double thanks to 18 digs and a career-best 59 assists. Junior Quincey Gary led the defense with 27 digs and tied a career high with three service aces.
ALABAMA IN THE SEC RANKINGS (TOP FIVE)
Team (Overall)
- 4th - Opponent Hitting Percentage (.182)
- 4th - Digs (1,118, 15.75/set)
- 5th - Blocks (179, 2.52/set)
Individual (Overall)
- 3rd - Digs - Quincey Gary (335, 4.72/set)
- 5th - Assists - Meghan Neelon (719, 10.13/set)
Team (SEC Only)
- 3rd - Digs (366, 15.25/set)
Individual (SEC Only)
- 3rd - Digs - Quincey Gary (111, 4.62/set)
- 4th - Assists - Meghan Neelon (250, 10.42/set)
CRIMSON COMEBACK
Alabama remains undefeated in five-set matches this season following Sunday's win over Tennessee, its fourth such win of the season. In three of the four five-set wins, including the most recent one over the Vols, Alabama had to overcome a 2-1 match deficit with wins in the fourth and fifth sets. When trailing 2-1 after three sets, Alabama is 3-2 this season.
Matches when trailing 2-1 after three sets
- Aug. 25 vs. Cleveland State - W, 3-2
- Sept. 24 at Ole Miss - L, 1-3
- Sept. 27 vs. Arkansas - W, 3-2
- Oct. 6 at #10 Kentucky - L, 1-3
- Oct. 8 at Tennessee - W, 3-2
UP NEXT
Alabama resumes SEC play in Baton Rouge, La. against LSU (13-4, 4-2 SEC) on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. CT. The following weekend, the Tide returns home to face No. 1 Florida (13-0, 5-0 SEC) on Friday, Oct. 20Â at 7 p.m. CT and South Carolina (9-7, 2-2 SEC) on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. CT. Friday's match against the Gators will be the Tide's annual Power of Pink match.
