Alabama
12-17,4-14SEC
Auburn
7-22,1-17SEC
Alabama Volleyball Drops Season Finale to Auburn
11/30/2019 2:54:00 PM | Volleyball
The Crimson Tide fall in three sets to in-state rival Auburn Saturday in Tuscaloosa
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball ended its 2019 season with a three-set loss to Auburn Saturday afternoon at Foster Auditorium.
Alabama (12-17, 4-14 SEC) reached set point in the opening frame but ultimately fell to Auburn (7-22, 1-17 SEC), 29-27, before the Tigers stormed to a 25-13 win in the second and a 25-17 edge in the third to win the match.
In her final match with the Crimson Tide, senior Hayley McSparin led the team with a season-best 15 kills, ending her four-year Alabama career with 993 which ranks 16th in UA history. Junior Kaylee Thomas led the defense with 11 digs, pushing her season total to a personal-best 424. Junior Meghan Neelon and freshman Emily Janek combined for 33 of the team's 37 assists, with Neelon adding a pair of service aces.
FROM HEAD COACH LINDSEY DEVINE
"You want your seniors to be the recruiters and to echo the team culture when the coaching staff isn't around. Overall, I think this group did that and I'm proud of them."
STAT LEADERS
- Kills – Hayley McSparin (15)
- Assists – Emily Janek (17)
- Blocks – Emily Janek (2)
- Aces – Meghan Neelon (2)
- Digs – Kaylee Thomas (11)
SET-BY-SET
- Set One (Auburn 29, Alabama 27): Alabama took an early 7-3 lead but Auburn chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying it at 11-11 and then, after three more tie scores, taking the lead at the media timeout, 15-14. Three more unanswered after the break stretched the Tigers' lead to 18-14 before the Tide spent a team timeout. Alabama fought back to tie it at 20-20 but the call was challenged by Auburn and overturned to make it 21-19. The score was tied four points later however, as the Tigers took a timeout after a kill from senior Ginger Perinar made it 22-22. Auburn reached set point at 24-23 and, after an Alabama timeout, the Tigers would reach set point two more times but could not end the frame. The Tide fought back to take set point at 27-26 and after an Auburn timeout, the Tigers scored three in a row to win, 29-27.
- Set Two (Auburn 25, Alabama 13): Auburn held the early lead in set two until a block from senior Hayley McSparin and freshman Emily Janek tied it at 9-9 and a kill from McSparin put the Tide in front. The Tigers weren't down for long, going on a 6-0 run to lead 15-10 at the media timeout. Three more unanswered after the break extended the run to 9-0 and the lead to 18-0 as Alabama took a timeout. The Tide spent its second timeout trailing by double digits, 21-11, and after a pair of Alabama points, Auburn closed it out with four straight to win 25-13.
- Set Three (Auburn 25, Alabama 17): Auburn scored three unanswered to open the frame and doubled its lead to six points by Alabama's first timeout at 10-4. Still leading by six later, 14-8, back-to-back points made it 16-8 and the Tide burned its final timeout. Alabama would draw within five points but that was the closest the score came down the stretch as Auburn held on to win 25-17 and earn the sweep.
For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaVball on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Volleyball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
