Alabama
8-7,0-3SEC
Auburn
9-4,1-2SEC
Alabama Volleyball Falls to Auburn in Five Sets Saturday
10/2/2021 7:38:00 PM | Volleyball
The two teams rematch Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU
AUBURN, Ala. – Alabama volleyball battled to five sets for the second-straight match, falling to in-state rival Auburn on the road Saturday night.
Alabama (8-7, 0-3 SEC) was led by a trio of players with triple-digit kills against Auburn (9-4, 1-2 SEC), including a season-high 17 from Shaye Eggleston to lead the team. Fellow freshman Sami Jacobs was also in double figures with 12 kills, adding a season-high 18 digs for her first career double-double. Emily Janek also earned a double-double, her team-leading sixth of the season, with 24 assists and a career-high 20 digs. Katie Shook, starting at libero, also set a new career high in digs with 22.
Alabama took its first timeout in the opening set trailing 10-5 before rallying within one at 14-15, forcing an Auburn timeout. A service ace by Katie Shook tied the match up at 19-19 but the Tigers would close out the frame with a 6-2 run to win, 25-21. The Tide took its first lead of match at 2-1 in the second set and maintained the momentum through the first half, up 14-11 before Auburn was forced to spend a timeout. Leading by the same margin later, 23-20, a kill from Shaye Eggleston gave Alabama set point and a service ace from the freshman ended the set to even the match at 1-1.
The third set was neck-and-neck early, with six tie scores by the time it reached 10-10. Auburn scored three unanswered to take the lead and maintained it through the rest of the frame, winning 25-21 to take a 2-1 match lead. Alabama came out swinging in the fourth, scoring five unanswered before the Tigers spent the early timeout. They would draw as close as two points but the Tide remained in front to win, 25-20 and force a fifth set.
Auburn led 4-1 before Alabama took its first timeout and the Tigers surged ahead for three more to lead 7-1 at the Tide's second timeout. The home team rode the momentum to a 15-5 set victory to take the match in five sets.
Stat Leaders
- Kills: Shaye Eggleston - 17
- Assists: Emily Janek - 24
- Digs: Katie Shook - 22
- Blocks: Kennedy Muckelroy/Shaye Eggleston - 2
- Aces: Four tied - 1
Set-by-Set
- Set 1: Auburn 25, Alabama 21
- Set 2: Alabama 25, Auburn 20
- Set 3: Auburn 25, Alabama 21
- Set 4: Alabama 25, Auburn 20
- Set 5: Auburn 15, Alabama 5
Match Notes
- The match was the third five-setter of the season for Alabama and its second-straight
- The loss was Alabama's first this season when earning more kills than the opponent and just its second when the Tide has the edge in digs
- Shaye Eggleston led the team with a season-high 17 kills
- Sami Jacobs earned her first career double-double with 12 kills and 18 digs
- Emily Janek tallied her team-leading sixth double-double with 24 assists and 20 digs
- Katie Shook posted a career-high 22 digs to lead the team
Up Next: Alabama at Auburn
- Sunday, Oct. 3 – 2 p.m. CT - ESPNU
