Greer Chambless delivers 15 kills while Grace Havlicek posts a career-high 10 as Auburn withstands Samford’s third-set rally
Chambless hit .353 on 34 attacks, while Havlicek added seven blocks and six digs. Havlicek saved her best offensive stretch for the fourth set, recording six kills on eight attacks as the Tigers closed out the match.
Belle Patrick added 11 kills off the bench, giving Auburn four players with double-digit kills. Emily Keiran led the defense with a career-high 18 digs.
AUBURN TAKES CONTROL EARLY
Auburn jumped ahead 10-3 in the opening set behind consecutive kills from Chambless.
Chambless had four kills in the opening set, while Reese Shugart added three kills, two blocks and two aces.
Samford responded with a 7-4 advantage early in the second before consecutive Chambless kills completed a 6-2 Auburn run and pushed the Tigers in front.
Patrick, who did not play in the opening set, provided an immediate lift with three kills and an ace during a key stretch.
The Bulldogs regained a 19-16 advantage before Auburn scored three straight, tying the set on a Shanelle Puetz kill.
Samford later reached set point at 24-23, but Auburn responded after a timeout and eventually took the set 28-26. Patrick and Chambless finished with five kills apiece in the frame.
SAMFORD ANSWERS IN THIRD SET
Auburn held a 10-7 advantage in the third before Samford began chipping away.
The Bulldogs moved ahead 15-14 and later extended their lead to 19-17. Havlicek answered with a kill and a block to pull Auburn even.
With the score tied at 20, Samford seized control.
The Bulldogs scored five consecutive points and closed the set with a block to win 25-20 and force a fourth.
Keiran anchored Auburn's back-row defense with seven digs in the set.
HAVLICEK CLOSES OUT THE BULLDOGS
Auburn quickly regained momentum in the fourth.
A five-point run, capped by a pair of Chambless kills, gave the Tigers a 13-6 advantage.
Samford narrowed the margin, but kills from Havlicek, Chambless and Anastasija Ivkovic helped Auburn stretch its lead to 22-15.
The Bulldogs mounted one final push with four consecutive points, forcing an Auburn timeout with the Tigers leading 22-19.
Auburn answered with three of the final four points.
Havlicek punctuated the victory with a kill to secure the 25-20 set and the match.
Her six fourth-set kills came on eight attacks, and she added two blocks in the frame.
Auburn's offense extended beyond Chambless and Havlicek.
Patrick finished with 11 kills, two aces and seven digs despite sitting out the first set. Ivkovic reached double-digit kills for the third consecutive match, the first such streak of her career.
Carson Eickenloff led Auburn with 24 assists and added four digs.
Keiran's 18 digs were a career high and tied the highest total by an Auburn player this season. The Tigers finished with a season-high 66 digs.
Havlicek's 10 kills came on a career-high 18 attacks, and her six digs tied a career best. Shugart established career highs with three blocks and two aces.
Samford finished with 11 blocks, the most by an Auburn opponent this season.
Auburn coach Brent Crouch said the Tigers still have areas to improve despite getting the result they wanted.
“We have a lot to work on,” Crouch said. “We were able to spread the offense out, something we wanted to work on with Lauren still out, so it was good to see four different players with double-digit kills.”
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-- By Amelia Nettles
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