The Alabama volleyball team continues Southeastern Conference play this weekend with matches against Tennessee and Kentucky.

The Crimson Tide will play Tennessee on Friday, Oct. 7 and Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 9.

Tennessee is ranked the No. 19 team in the country and the No. 1 team in the SEC at 13-2 overall and 6-0 in the SEC after sweeping the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Volunteers are currently on a nine-game winning streak.

Kentucky is the No. 2 team in the SEC at 15-3 overall, 5-1 in league play, with their only conference loss being to the Florida Gators.

“This is going to be the toughest weekend of the season,” head coach Ed Allen said. “We’re playing two of the top three teams in the SEC at their place, so that should be an interesting challenge for us.”

These two games are pivotal for the Tide as they look to climb up the SEC rankings. Alabama (9-8, 2-4 SEC) is currently tied for eighth place in the SEC. Getting a win against one of the top two teams in the conference would be a huge confidence booster for a team that has struggled in conference play.

“They’re two very good teams, and they’re not going to give us wins,” Moyer said. “We definitely have to play at the level we’re capable of playing. We have to put the pressure on them.”

The Tide has had an up and down season so far in 2011 and have yet to get on a roll in conference play. Moyer said the team will use the win against Alabama A&M as motivation.

“It was good to get our confidence back going into a tough weekend,” Moyer said.

After facing Kentucky and Tennessee, the Tide will return home to Foster Auditorium to face the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday, Oct. 14.