Friday, August 28
Johnson City, Tenn.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
0-0,0-0CUSA
0
vs
3
Auburn
0-0,0-0SEC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 20 | 23 | 17 | 0 |
| Auburn | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Auburn Posts Season-Opening Sweep of Liberty
8/28/2026 12:05:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Liberty took on Auburn in its season opener, with the Tigers prevailing in three sets (25-20, 25-23, 25-17) on Friday at ETSU's Brooks Gymnasium.
Auburn (1-0) will take on ETSU tonight at 6 p.m. in the third match of the Buccaneer Classic. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames open their season with an 0-1 record.
Notable Numbers
The Lady Flames will face both Akron (10 a.m.) and ETSU (4 p.m.) tomorrow to wrap up play at the ETSU Buccaneer Classic.
Auburn (1-0) will take on ETSU tonight at 6 p.m. in the third match of the Buccaneer Classic. Meanwhile, the Lady Flames open their season with an 0-1 record.
Notable Numbers
- Auburn outhit Liberty .232-.109 for the match, with both teams scoring 35 kills. The Lady Flames led in blocks (8-7) and digs (42-39), while the Tigers held a 6-3 advantage in aces.
- 2025 SEC all-conference first team selection Lauren Dreves scored a match-high 17 kills and two aces for Auburn. Carson Eickenhoff dished out a match-high 30 assists, while Emily Keiran collected a match-leading 17 digs. Kate Mansfield tied for the match high with four blocks.
- Laney Daniell led Liberty with a career-high nine kills (.386) and two aces, adding three blocks. Carly O'Brien totaled seven kills and a team-high 10 digs, while Charli Crowson contributed 14 assists and nine digs. Layla Collins tied for the match lead with four blocks, while Charli Morris hit .400 with six kills.
- Liberty led set one 15-14 after a solo block by Jenna Otts. However, the Tigers outscored the Lady Flames 11-5 from that point on, taking the opening set 25-20.
- The middle set saw 14 ties and eight lead changes. Layla Collins tied the score at 23-23 with a kill. Dreves scored the next two points, a kill and a combo block, to seal the 25-23 win.
- Auburn has won both meetings all-time in volleyball against Liberty. Prior to today the only previous meeting was a 3-0 Auburn sweep, Sept. 1, 1989. That match, also a season opener, was played in Charlottesville, Va.
- Liberty had won four out of its last five season openers coming into today.
- Melis Ural started as Liberty's libero. She is the first Liberty freshman to start a season opener at libero since Lindsey Hardesty against Robert Morris, Sept. 3, 2021.
- Addison Hart posted her first career kill in today's match.
- Liberty is playing in Johnson City, Tenn., for the first time since sweeping ETSU 3-0 on Oct. 15, 2007.
The Lady Flames will face both Akron (10 a.m.) and ETSU (4 p.m.) tomorrow to wrap up play at the ETSU Buccaneer Classic.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballTeam Stats
Lib
AU
Kills
35
35
Errors
24
13
Attempts
101
95
Hitting %
.109
.232
Points
46.0
48.0
Assists
32
31
Aces
3
6
Blocks
8
7
Game Leaders
Kills
9
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
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