Alabama
11-12,3-9SEC
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Mississippi State
10-11,4-8SEC
Alabama Rallies for Five-Set Win Friday over Mississippi State
11/15/2024 10:02:00 PM | Volleyball
The Crimson Tide wins its first match vs. the Bulldogs since 2020
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama volleyball rallied from a 2-1 match deficit to Mississippi State Friday night in Foster Auditorium with a hard-fought 25-21 win in the fourth setting up a dominant 15-6 win in the fifth to seal the comeback win for the Crimson Tide.
The win is Alabama's (11-12, 3-9 SEC) first over Mississippi State (10-11, 4-8 SEC) since Feb. 7, 2020, snapping a four-match win streak from the Bulldogs in the series. The Crimson Tide is now 5-1 in five-set matches this season, including a 3-1 mark in SEC play.
Alabama was hot to start the match, scoring seven unanswered points including four aces from Sophie Agee. The 7-0 lead set up a 25-21 win in the first, but Mississippi State quickly responded with a 25-19 win in the second to even the match and a 25-21 decision in the third to give the visitors the lead. The fourth set was back-and-forth to start, with 14 tie scores before an MSU kill tied it for a 15th time at 18-18. Behind a hot Foster Auditorium crowd, the Tide closed out the set with a 7-3 run to win it and force a deciding fifth set. The final frame was all Alabama, as the Tide won in convincing fashion, 15-6, to complete the comeback.
FROM HEAD COACH RASHINDA REED
"I'm incredibly proud of these ladies. We have been working through adversity in a lot of matches this year, fighting back from being down. We fought and got ourselves out of it today. It shows the growth of this team and how resilient we are. It doesn't matter what part of the season it is, we're going to keep growing."
NOTES
- The win is Alabama's first over Mississippi State since Feb. 7, 2020, snapping a four-match win streak for the Bulldogs in the series
- The Crimson Tide is 5-1 in five-set matches this season, including a 3-1 mark in SEC play
- Alabama has overcome a 2-1 match deficit in all five of its five-set victories this season
- Alabama's nine service aces is its highest total in SEC play this season
- Both Sophie Agee and Malia Moore set new career highs in aces with four and two, respectively
- Paris Thompson led the team with a career-best 23 kills
- Kayla Keshock played all six rotations, finishing with a season-high 52 assists, just seven shy of her career-best mark and two digs shy of a double-double
- Natalie Repetti's 21 digs are a season high for the senior
STAT LEADERS
- Kills: Paris Thompson - 23
- Assists: Kayla Keshock - 52
- Digs: Francesca Bertucci - 26
- Blocks: Three tied - 3
- Aces: Sophie Agee - 4
SET-BY-SET
- Set 1: Alabama 25, Mississippi State 21
- Set 2: Mississippi State 25, Alabama 19
- Set 3: Mississippi State 25, Alabama 21
- Set 4: Alabama 25, Mississippi State 21
- Set 5: Alabama 15, Mississippi State 6
UP NEXT
- Sunday, Nov. 17 vs. No. 14 Texas – Tuscaloosa, Ala. – 12 p.m. CT - ESPN
