Next Match: South Carolina 9/28/2018 | 7 p.m. CT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama volleyball battled to a hard-fought win in four sets over in-state rival Auburn Sunday in Foster Auditorium, posting set scores of 25-22, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-23.

Sophomore Kaylee Thomas led the Alabama (13-2, 1-1 SEC) back-row defense with a career-high 19 digs over Auburn (7-5, 0-2 SEC), while senior Quincey Gary posted 15 to move to fifth on the UA career digs list, now with 1,206. Sophomore Meghan Neelon and freshman Mylana Byrd split the setting duties nearly evenly, totaling 25 and 24, respectively. Three Crimson Tide attackers finished with double-digit kills, led by junior Ginger Perinar with 16. Sophomore Doris Carter was second with 13, posting 12 digs for a double-double.

After falling behind early in set one, Alabama scored five unanswered to take a 6-4 lead. Auburn fought back to tie it twice before the Tide extended its lead to 15-11 at the media timeout. Alabama maintained its four-point lead, up 19-15 at Auburn's first timeout, before the Tigers clawed back to draw within one. Leading 22-21, a kill from Carter and an ace from junior Mahalia Swink made it set point, 24-21, and Auburn called a timeout. The Tigers scored a point after the break but a kill from Byrd on the next rally sealed the 25-22 win for the Tide.

Alabama jumped ahead to an early 6-2 lead before Auburn rallied to tie it at 7-7. After five more tie scores, back-to-back points for the Tide made it 15-13 at the media timeout. The score was soon knotted up again at 17-17 but a successful challenge from Alabama on the game-tying point switched it to 18-16. The Tigers tied the score five more times down the stretch before taking a late 23-22 lead. Auburn reached set point, 24-22, and Alabama took its first team timeout. The Tigers would hold on to win the frame, 25-23, and even the match at 1-1.

With Auburn up 5-4 in the third, Alabama scored four-straight to gain an 8-5 lead. Later tied at 14-14, a kill from junior Hayley McSparin gave the Tide a one-point lead at the media timeout. After two tie scores, a block put Auburn ahead 20-19 and Alabama spent its first team timeout. Three-straight for the Tide swung the lead back in the home team's favor, 22-20, as Auburn burned a timeout. Alabama reached set point, 24-23, and an Auburn error made it 25-23 as the Tide took a 2-1 match advantage.

Alabama led 7-3 to open the fourth set before Auburn responded with four-straight to tie it at 7-7. Tied again at 14-14, a kill from Carter put the Tide ahead by one at the media timeout. Consecutive points for Auburn put the visitors up, 16-15, but a 4-1 run put the Tide back ahead, 19-17, and the Tigers called a timeout. Auburn called its second timeout three points later with Alabama ahead 21-18. A service ace from sophomore Karen Crews after the break made it 22-18 but the Tigers scored three-straight to draw within one, forcing the Tide to call a timeout now leading 22-21. Alabama reached match point, 24-21, before taking a timeout after Auburn fought back within one, 24-23. Perinar put it away on the next rally, finding the floor for a kill to win the set, 25-23, and the match, 3-1.

Next weekend, Alabama hosts a pair of matches at Foster Auditorium, facing South Carolina on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. CT and Florida on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. CT.