Alabama
Georgia
Alabama Volleyball Hosts Georgia Sunday on SEC Network
11/4/2017 9:56:00 AM | Volleyball
THIS WEEKEND: ALABAMA (16-9, 4-7 SEC) VS. GEORGIA (16-9, 6-6 SEC)
Sunday, Nov. 5 – Noon CT (SEC Network)
Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Foster Auditorium
SCOUTING ALABAMA
- Alabama is 16-9 overall this season and 4-7 in Southeastern Conference play. Last time out, the Tide fell in five sets Wednesday night at Auburn.
- The Tide is ranked No. 47 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, with four matches remaining against higher-ranked opponents including Kentucky (3), Texas A&M (37), LSU (36) and Missouri (44).
- Senior Leah Lawrence currently leads the offense with 234 kills and a .329 hitting percentage, followed closely in kills by freshman Christine Jarman's 215. Lawrence also leads the team with 100 blocks and is tied with freshman setter Meghan Neelon with a team-leading 26 service aces. Junior libero Quincey Gary leads the defense with 430 digs.
- Five of Alabama's remaining seven matches will be played at home. Under head coach Ed Allen, the Tide is 71-29 (.710) in Foster Auditorium, including an 8-2 record this season.
- Three of Alabama's remaining eight matches will be broadcast on the SEC Network, including the next three straight. Since the network's introduction in 2014, the Tide has been featured in 25 matches, winning 17 of them with a 12-3 mark at home and 5-5 mark on the road. This season, Alabama is 3-1 in SEC Network matches.
LAST TIME OUT: COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN FIVE-SET LOSS AT AUBURN
Alabama dropped the opening two sets to Auburn by scores of 21-25 and 14-25 before earning a 25-20 win in the third and 25-23 win in the fourth to force a deciding fifth set. The Tide led at the halfway mark but a late surge by the Tigers gave the home team an 11-15 win, handing Alabama its first five-set loss of the season. Sophomore Mahalia Swink led the offense with a career-best 16 kills while fellow sophomore Ginger Perinar trailed close behind with 14. Perinar now has 12 or more kills in 10 SEC matches this season, becoming the 10th Tide player under head coach Ed Allen to do so. Freshman Meghan Neelon posted her ninth double-double of the season, finishing with 45 assists and 14 digs. Junior Quincey Gary led the back row with 19 digs, pushing her season total to 430 which ranks eighth in single-season UA history.
ALABAMA IN THE SEC RANKINGS (TOP FIVE)
Team (Overall)
- 2nd - Digs (1,498, 15.77/set)
- 5th - Aces (122, 1.28/set)
Individual (Overall)
- 3rd - Digs - Quincey Gary (430, 4.53/set)
- 5th - Assists - Meghan Neelon (958, 10.08/set)
Team (SEC Only)
- 3rd - Digs (688, 15.64/set)
Individual (SEC Only)
- 4th - Kills - Ginger Perinar (157, 3.57/set)
- 5th - Digs - Quincey Gary (190, 4.32/set)
QUINCEY GARY POSTING CAREER-BEST DIG NUMBERS AT LIBERO
In her first full season as the team's libero, junior Quincey Gary is quickly posting career dig numbers from the back row. She currently leads the team and ranks third in the SEC with 430 digs, averaging 4.53 per set. The total is already a career best for Gary and ranks eighth in single-season history at Alabama. The highest single-season dig total under current head coach Ed Allen came two years ago from current senior Natalie Murison, who earned 469 as a sophomore in 2015. That mark currently ranks sixth in program history.
Alabama Single-Season Digs Leaders
- Amy Pauly (2007): 616
- Jessica Yearout (2005): 543
- Amy Pauly (2006): 520
- Lorian Newcomer (1994): 500
- Lorian Newcomer (1993): 499
- Natalie Murison (2015): 469
- Christina Arenas (2012): 443
- Quincey Gary (2017): 430
LEAH LAWRENCE NEARING ALABAMA CAREER BLOCK RECORD
Senior Leah Lawrence currently sits at 427 career blocks, just 11 shy of matching the school record of 438 held by Shelly Adamcik (1999-02). She is also among the top 10 at Alabama in block assists (3rd - 345) and solo blocks (4th - 82). In the Oct. 1 match against Missouri, she became the fifth player in program history to reach 400 career blocks and the first under head coach Ed Allen.
Alabama Career Block Leaders
- Shelly Adamcik (1999-2002): 438
- Leah Lawrence (2014-pres.): 427
- Mavis Reed (1991-94): 425
- Crystal Hudson (2003-07): 408
- Julie Farley (2001-04): 400
GINGER PERINAR FINDING HER PACE IN SEC PLAY
Sophomore Ginger Perinar has at least 12 kills 10 of the team's 11 SEC matches so far this season. This marks the 10th time a Tide player has earned 12 or more kills in at least 10 SEC matches with Allen at the helm.
12+ Kills in at least 10 SEC Matches (2011-present)
- 16 - Krystal Rivers (2016)
- 14 - Krystal Rivers (2015)
- 13 - Krystal Rivers (2013)
- 12 - Kat Hutson (2014, 2015), Krystal Rivers (2014)
- 11 - Kayla Fitterer (2012), Laura Steiner (2012)
- 10 - Ginger Perinar (2017)
- 10 - Kayla Fitterer (2011)
MEGHAN NEELON APPROACHING TOP-FIVE FRESHMAN MARK
Freshman setter Meghan Neelon has 958 assists through 95 sets played this season, averaging 10.08 per set. With seven matches remaining on the schedule, Neelon has the opportunity to post one of the top five highest assist totals by a Crimson Tide freshman in program history. Currently, she is 38 shy of teammate Shannon Mikesky's fifth-place freshman total of 996 from last season.
Alabama Freshman Assist Leaders
- Jennifer Miller (1989) - 1,401
- Brigitte Slack (2004) - 1,362
- Sierra Wilson (2012) - 1,293
- Allison Lange (1997) - 1,270
- Shannon Mikesky (2016) - 996
UP NEXT
Alabama continues its home stand with a pair of matches in Foster Auditorium. The Tide faces sixth-ranked Kentucky (19-3, 10-1 SEC) on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. CT live on SEC Network before hosting Tennessee (11-10, 4-8 SEC) on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. CT.
