Ole Miss keeps showing signs of life. The problem is those stretches are not lasting long enough.
The Rebels fell to Auburn in straight sets Friday night, dropping a 3-0 decision that looked familiar to anyone who has followed Ole Miss through SEC play. There were moments when the Rebels looked capable of swinging momentum their way. Auburn simply refused to let that happen.
The opening set set the tone. Ole Miss fell behind early and spent the rest of the frame trying to catch up. While Melia Johnson sparked a late push with four kills, Auburn’s lead was already too large to overcome in a 25-16 loss.
The second set briefly felt different.
Behind a block from Shayla Meyer and Ryea Jackson, the Rebels jumped out to a 4-0 lead and appeared ready to grab control of the match. Auburn answered immediately with a 7-0 run, erasing the advantage almost as quickly as it appeared.
That sequence summed up the night. Every time Ole Miss landed a punch, Auburn delivered a stronger response.
The Rebels’ best chance came in the third set. Jaidyn Hartsfield and Jackson helped Ole Miss build an early lead, and later the Rebels clawed within one point at 18-17 after a pair of Hartsfield kills and a block from Keirstyn Carlton and Jorda Crook.
For a moment, it looked like Ole Miss might finally extend the match.
Instead, Auburn steadied itself and closed the door, pulling away late for a 25-22 win and the sweep.
The box score offered a few bright spots. Meyer led the Rebels with eight kills, while libero Bella Bonanno recorded a career-high 20 digs. Defensively, Ole Miss competed. The Rebels also showed resilience after falling behind multiple times throughout the match.
Still, moral victories are becoming harder to celebrate.
At 8-11 overall and 2-6 in SEC play, Ole Miss needs results more than encouraging stretches. The Rebels have consistently shown they can hang around against conference opponents. The next step is finding a way to finish sets when opportunities arise.
That challenge only gets tougher Sunday when Ole Miss travels to face No. 5 Florida.
The Rebels continue to fight. Now they have to find a way to turn those competitive moments into wins.
