SEC Tournament 2nd Round Matchups

Auburn Vs. Oklahoma 

Oklahoma rolls into the second round after a confident 3-1 win over Arkansas, a match that showcased how much the Sooners have grown since midseason. Freshmen outside Alyssa Flack delivered her best performance to date with 17 kills on .517 hitting, while veteran pin Alexis Shelton added 23 kills and officially passed the 400-kill mark for the third straight year. Setter Avaya Maga guided the offense with a career high 49 assists, keeping the Sooners steady after a sluggish opening frame. Their bounce back was immediate: Oklahoma hit .583 in the second set and controlled the match from there, a reflection of the improved composure and balance that’s emerged over the last month. 

Auburn won the last matchup in October against Oklahoma, behind standout play from Lauren Dreves and a defensive plan built around their front row size. The Tigers didn’t overwhelm Oklahoma with serve pressure but instead forced tough swings through disciplined blocking and strong transition play. Auburn’s middles, Kate Mansfield and Grace Havlicek were the difference, consistently altering Oklahoma’s angles and slowing down their pin hitters. Oklahoma, at the time, struggled to generate clean hits and leaned heavily on Shelton in a way that made their offense predictable. That dynamic looks different now, with Flack emerging as a strong second option and the Sooners’ being able to spread the ball more efficiently.  

This rematch hinges on the net, the same place Auburn controlled things when these two met in October. The Tigers still have the sturdier presence up front, and when their middles are reading the game well, they can smother an opponent’s rhythm for entire stretches. Oklahoma, though, isn’t the same team Auburn saw earlier in the season. Their timing, first contacts, and utilization of more options at the net makes this team look sharper after a month of improvement and a confidence building win in the first round. However, Auburn’s stability at the net still gives them the narrow edge. Oklahoma’s growth is real, and their first-round firepower makes this far closer than their October meeting, but Auburn will still most likely take the win. 

Prediction: Auburn in 4 sets 

Florida Vs. Alabama 

Alabama arrives in the second round riding the wave of their most complete performance of the season. The Crimson Tide handled South Carolina in 4 sets, leaning on Victoria Barrett’s best match of the year, 23 kills on .386 hitting, a season high 19 digs, and a career best eight blocks. The Tide’s blocking presence defined the match, stacking up 13.5 team blocks, including 9 from Ashby Daniel. Even when South Carolina pushed late in the fourth, Alabama responded with poise, closing on a 5-0 run that reflected the power and grit Rashinda Reed has been insisting her team is capable of all season.  

On the other hand, Florida presents a very different type of challenge than South Carolina, and the last time these two met, the Gators made that clear. In Gainesville, Florida’s offense produced a season-high 68 kills on .294 hitting, powered by an unstoppable trio: Jordyn Byrd’s 24 kills, freshmen Milica Vidacic’s breakout 18 on .485 efficiency, and Jaela Auguste’s 11. Alexis Stucky controlled every thread of the match, posting 53 assists and a double-double as she spread an attack that Alabama was never really able to slow. Most tellingly, Florida held Barrett to just 6 kills and a .000 hitting percentage, something that almost no other SEC opponent has been able to manage this season. That match was one of Florida’s cleanest defensive outings: 72 digs, five players in double digits, and the ability to extend rallies until Alabama’s offense ran out of options.  

This rematch looks different mostly because Alabama looks different. Barrett is in one of the best rhythms of her career, Hannah Parant is stabilizing their offense with more consistency, and the Tide block is peaking at exactly the right time. Florida, meanwhile, remains the more explosive team, but their consistency this season has wavered more than usual under a first-year head coach. They still appear to be the more skilled roster top to bottom, yet Alabama’s improved ability to disrupt attackers at the net gives them a real foothold in a way they lacked earlier in the season. Florida’s inconsistency paired with Alabama’s first round momentum and improved play could lead to some surprises but it still seems most likely Florida will come out on top. 

Prediction: Florida in 4 sets. 

Vanderbilt Vs. Georgia 

Vanderbilt volleyball built momentum in the opening round of the SEC tournament with a 3-0 sweep over Mississippi State, powered by a balanced attack and strong defensive presence. The Commodores hit .429 as a team, led by Mia Soerensen’s 12 kills on a .524 clip and Jackie Moore’s eight kills at .500 efficiency. Reese Animashaun and Maya Witherspoon each added seven kills, while setters Isabelle Barefood and Taryn DeWese orchestrated the offense with precision. The Bulldogs were limited to a mere 0.10 hitting percentage and only 25 kills across 3 sets. This sweep over 10th seeded Mississippi State showed the Commodores’ ability to sustain offensive efficiency while maintaining tight defensive coverage, setting the stage for a second-round clash with Georgia. 

Vanderbilt and Georgia face off again after their late October meeting in Nashville, where the Commodores fell 3-1 but showcased strong blocking with a 7-5 advantage at the net. The Commodores will need to combine disciplined front row defense with balanced attacking from Mia Soerensen, Jackie Moore, and supporting hitters to challenge Georgia’s high powered offense. The Bulldogs, led by MK Patten and Bianca Muoneke, bring size, experience, and consistent scoring to the rematch, and they’ll aim to enforce their advantage at the net while exploiting any lapses in Vanderbilt’s defense. Vanderbilt has improved in ball control and managing errors throughout this season, and if they maintain these gains, they can make the match competitive. Still, Georgia’s offensive depth and prior SEC dominance make them the favorite to advance, 

Prediction: Georgia in 3 sets 

Missouri Vs. Ole Miss 

Ole Miss walked into tournament play looking unpredictable and walked out of round 1 looking dangerous. Their sweep of LSU never really drifted out of their control. Shayla Meyer delivered one of the sharpest performances of her career, 17 kills on .600 hitting, and Melia Johnson added 13 more, giving the Rebels a one-two punch LSU couldn’t slow down. The first two sets played out almost identically: Ole Miss created early pressure, LSU unraveled in serve receive, and the Rebels strung together scoring runs that stretched the margin. Even in the tighter third set, Ole Miss held their composure, with Meyer ripping off five straight kills to close the match 25-13, 25-13, 25-18. It was the cleanest, most confident version of Ole Miss we’ve seen in weeks. 

When Missouri and Ole Miss met in October, Missouri staged one of their most dramatic wins of the season. The Tigers took the match 3-1, but it’s the third set that writes the story on it’s own. Down 20-11, Missouri flipped the entire match with an 8-0 run, steadied by Janet DeMarrais and Caylen Alexander while freshmen setter Nina Mandovic ignited the offense. DeMarrais and Alexander each finished with 17 kills, and Tyrah Ariail’s seven blocks helped Missouri control the net when it mattered. Ole Miss had strong stretches, especially in the second set, but Missouri’s ability to absorb pressure and complete late match points proved decisive. That comeback didn’t just win them a set, it stole the oxygen from the building and carried them through the fourth. 

This matchup is compelling because both teams enter with something real behind them, but very different kinds of “real”. Ole Miss is riding the immediate momentum of their cleanest match in weeks, fast offense, aggressive pin scoring, and a serve game that finally forced point-scoring errors instead of giving them away. Missouri, meanwhile, isn’t the explosive team Ole Miss just saw in LSU. They’re steadier. They stretch rallies. They don’t panic when down. That October comeback wasn’t an accident; it’s who they are when they’re playing well. Missouri’s edge has always come from their ability to keep attacking even when the match tilts against them, and Ole Miss, still streaky at times, have struggled against teams that refuse to go away. 

Prediction: Ole Miss’ round 1 streak will tempt people to call this an upset opportunity, but Missouri is a tougher, more organized opponent than LSU, and their balance at the pins puts real pressure on the Rebels block. If Ole Miss can sustain their first-ball sideout efficiency, this becomes a coin flip. But Missouri’s consistency in long rallies and their late-set calm give them the edge. Prediction is, Missouri wins in four tight sets. 

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