Southern Miss
Auburn
Volleyball Drops Final Match In Blue Raider Bash to Auburn
9/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2010
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Southern Miss volleyball team lost its third-straight match, falling to Auburn in three sets (25-19, 25-20, 26-24) in the MT Blue Raider Bash Sunday.
Three Golden Eagles collected seven kills apiece, Halie Ecker, Lauren Sears and Ashley Mell in the match. Neither team had a player to register double digit kills. Kelly Fidero led the Tigers with nine kills.
The teams opened the first, battling to a 4-4 tie before Auburn ran off nine straight points to give the Tigers the 13-4 lead. Auburn continued to build on that lead and led 23-11. Southern Miss then scored six-straight points to get within six, 23-17, but Auburn held on for the 25-19 win.
Auburn jumped out early in the second set as Sarah Bullock served six consecutive points in giving the Tigers a 7-1 lead. Mell ended the run with a kill, but Auburn continued to control the set and led 11-2, forcing the Eagles to take a timeout. From there, the Golden Eagles began chipping away at the lead and eventually tied the set at 18-18. Auburn regrouped and finished the set on a 7-2 run for a 25-20 win.
Auburn took the momentum into the third set, quickly jumping out to a 4-0 lead over Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles battled back and got within three, 8-5, before Auburn used three straight kills for an 11-5 lead, forcing Southern Miss to take a timeout. With Auburn leading 16-12, the Golden Eagles began chipping away at the lead and found 1themselves all ahead 18-17 after a 7-2 run. The two squads battled to the very end. The Eagles were leading 24-23 until Auburn's Kathia Rud put down the final three kills in helping the Tigers to a 26-24 set three win.
Southern Miss remains on the road for the its second straight weekend, traveling to Oxford, Miss., for the Magnolia Classic hosted by Ole Miss. USM opens play against Louisiana-Lafayette at 11 a.m. on Friday, before taking on Ole Miss at 7 p.m. Southern Miss concludes play in the tournament against Samford at 11 a.m., Saturday.
