The Texas Longhorns returned their overall and SEC records to winning ones with their straight-set sweep of the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Friday night.
With the 3-0 win, the Horns improved to 6-5 overall and 2-1 against conference opponents, getting back on track after suffering a sweep of their against the Kentucky Wildcats last weekend.
Now, with another highly competitive SEC matchup just around the corner, the Horns need to ride the momentum they gained from their win over MSU as the Alabama Crimson Tide comes to Austin.
Alabama's strong offensive front could pose issues for Texas volleyball
So far this season, the Tide has gone 8-4, but is currently on a three-game losing streak and has yet to win a conference game, losing to LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M. However, Alabama touts an impressive offense, attacking the ball at a rate extremely similar to that of the Horns.
Through the first 12 games, Bama has earned 577 kills, giving up just 454 to its opponents. Meanwhile, Texas has produced just 540 kills in its first 11 matchups while allowing 490 by opposing teams.
Against Mississippi State, the Texas offense was on fire, producing 53 kills and 49 assists. Similarly, the Horns' defense looked to be in better form, earning four blocks and an impressive 46 digs as the Bulldogs tried to find any kind of offensive front.
While Alabama may have more kills than Texas, the Horns simply have the better defense, producing nine more blocks on the year than the Crimson Tide has.
Star players like Cari Spears, Torrey Stafford, Taylor Harvey, and more are going to have to step up big for Jerritt Elliott's squad to stay in the win column for more than just one game at a time. They did against MSU, and look at how it paid off.
Stafford led Texas with a whopping 20 kills and 13 digs, as well as one block. Harvey led the team in blocks with three, alongside one block. Spears earned nine kills and one ace. Even setter Rella Binney, who has been slightly inconsistent, secured a team-leading 39 assists, as well as seven digs.
A win over Bama could set ablaze the momentum that Texas sparked against Mississippi State, and that's exactly what the Horns need with this as their final home matchup for 10 days.
How to watch No. 8 Texas volleyball vs. Alabama
- Date & Time: Sunday, Oct. 4, at noon CT
- Location: Gregory Gym, Austin, TX
- TV/Streaming: SECN+, fuboTV
- Live stats: Stat Broadcast
After hosting Alabama, the Longhorns will take road trips to visit two of the school's biggest rivals: the Arkansas Razorbacks and Oklahoma Sooners, before returning home for two more matchups at Gregory Gym.
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