Alabama
Missouri
Alabama Volleyball Travels for Wednesday Match at Missouri on SEC Network
11/21/2017 11:43:00 AM | Volleyball
THIS WEEK
Alabama (18-12, 6-10 SEC) at Missouri (19-10, 12-4 SEC)
Wednesday, Nov. 22 – 5 p.m. CT (SEC Network)
Columbia, Mo. – Hearnes Center
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- Alabama is 18-12 overall this season and 6-10 in Southeastern Conference play. Last weekend, the Crimson Tide fell in four sets at South Carolina Friday before rebounding with a four-set comeback win over LSU at home Sunday.
- In the final RPI rankings before the NCAA Selection Show, the Tide is ranked No. 56 with its opponents this week ranked at No. 34 (Missouri) and 59 (Texas A&M).
- Senior Leah Lawrence currently leads the offense with 269 kills and a .315 hitting percentage and has stuffed a team-leading 118 blocks. Lawrence is tied with freshman setter Meghan Neelon with a team-leading 32 service aces while junior libero Quincey Gary leads the defense and ranks fourth in the SEC with 504 digs.
- With 118 blocks this season, Lawrence is just four away from her single-season best of 122 from last year. She became the career blocks leader at Alabama in the Nov. 12 match vs. Tennessee, passing the previous record of 438 held for over a decade by Shelly Adamcik (1999-2002). Lawrence's career mark currently sits at 444.
- Gary's 504 digs this season is fifth in UA history and the highest mark under head coach Ed Allen. The previous best mark of 469 was set by teammate Natalie Murison during her 2015 sophomore season. It is also the first time since 2007 an Alabama player has posted 500 digs in a season.
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA FALLS TO SOUTH CAROLINA, EARNS COMEBACK WIN OVER LSU
- South Carolina 3, Alabama 1: Alabama won the opening set, 25-20, before dropping the next two to South Carolina, 22-25 and 23-25. Needing a win in the fourth to stay alive, the Tide reached set point at 24-20 but the Gamecocks rallied to score six unanswered and win the frame, 24-26, and claim the four-set victory. Alabama had four players with double-digit kills, led by sophomore Hayley McSparin with 16, her second-highest total in SEC play. She also led the team with six blocks, a season-best in conference play for McSparin. Freshman setter Meghan Neelon notched her 12th double-double of the season, finishing with 49 assists and 12 digs.
- Alabama 3, LSU 1: Alabama was flat in the opening set against LSU, losing 15-25 and netting just eight kills in the frame. The Tide quickly regrouped to win the second set by an even larger margin, 25-14, and edged out a close 25-23 win in the third before closing out the four-set victory with a 25-17 decision in the fourth. The Tide put together a balanced defensive effort, with four players in double-digit digs led by freshman Kaylee Thomas with a career-best 19. Sophomore Hayley McSparin led the offensive effort, posting 15 kills with a .462 hitting percentage, while sophomore Ginger Perinar was close behind with 14. Senior Leah Lawrence led the defensive effort at the net, tallying five blocks, and scored three of the team's eight service aces. Freshman Meghan Neelon earned her fourth straight double-double and 13th overall with 40 assists and 10 digs.
ALABAMA IN THE SEC RANKINGS (TOP FIVE)
Team (Overall)
- 4th - Digs (1,795, 15.61/set)
- 5th - Aces (145, 1.26/set)
Individual (Overall)
- 5th - Digs - Quincey Gary (504, 4.38/set)
- 5th - Assists - Meghan Neelon (1,167, 10.15/set)
Team (SEC Only)
- 5th - Digs (985, 15.39/set)
QUINCEY GARY FIRST WITH 500 DIGS SINCE 2007
In her first full season as the team's libero, junior Quincey Gary is posting career dig numbers from the back row. She currently leads the team and ranks fourth in the SEC with 504 digs, averaging 4.38 per set. The total is a career best for Gary, ranks fourth in single-season history at Alabama and is the highest total under head coach Ed Allen. It also marks the first time since 2007 a Tide player has posted 500 digs in a season.
Alabama Single-Season Digs Leaders
- Amy Pauly (2007): 616
- Jessica Yearout (2005): 543
- Amy Pauly (2006): 520
- Quincey Gary (2017): 504
- Lorian Newcomer (1994): 500
ALABAMA POSTING TOP PROGRAM MARKS IN DIGS AND BLOCKS
With the end of the regular season approaching, the 2017 squad has already made its mark in the Crimson Tide records books for digs and blocks.
- The Tide's 1,795 digs this season currently ranks eighth in single-season UA history, the highest total since 2007 and the highest mark under head coach Ed Allen.
- Alabama's 15.61 digs-per-set average is fourth in UA history, just edging out the 15.58 mark from 2011, Allen's first year as head coach.
- The Tide is just three blocks away from moving into the top 10 in total blocks in program history, currently with 272.0. The 10th-place mark of 275.0 set in 2014 is the highest single-season total under Allen.
- Alabama's 2.37 blocks-per-set average ranks 10th in program history and is the highest block average since 2006.
- The team's 101 solo blocks is fifth all-time in UA history and marks just the fifth time an Alabama team has reached triple digits. It is also the team's highest total since 1994.
YOUNG STARTERS
Alabama has relied heavily on the contributions of key freshman starters this season. Christine Jarman, Kaylee Thomas and Meghan Neelon have each started 20 or more games, with Neelon starting all 30. Arkansas and Georgia are the only other SEC teams to have three freshmen start 20 or more matches this season.
UP NEXT
Alabama concludes the regular season at home against Texas A&M (8-15, 5-11 SEC) Saturday, Nov. 25 at Noon CT. The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship bracket will then be revealed live on ESPNU on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. CT. The field of 64 will begin first round-competition the following weekend.
