Mizzou Volleyball sweeps home-opening doubleheader
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou Volleyball has returned to the Hearnes Center. Dawn Sullivan's squad earned back-to-back sweeps in its first two home games of the 2024 season, kicking off Mizzou Invitational weekend.
Early Friday afternoon, the Tigers cruised past UMKC 3-0 in the team's official home opener of the current campaign. MU won all three sets, defeating its Show Me State rival 25-13, 25-15 and 25-18 respectively.
Mychael Vernon, who was one of four different Tigers to finish with six or more kills, posted a game-high 11 of them, followed by Janet deMarrais with eight, Colleen Finney with seven and Jordan Iliff and Morgan Isenberg with six each. Marina Crownover, Iliff and deMarrais also each recorded two service aces in the contest.
Collectively, Mizzou ended the game with 19 more kills, five more service aces and five more blocks than UMKC.
Then, in the nightcap, MU put together an even more dominant performance against UT Martin, defeating the Skyhawks by 12 points or more in every set. The final scores of each set were 25-12, 25-9 and 25-13.
Iliff paced the Tigers in the second game of the doubleheader, securing a game-high 16 kills. Vernon also ended the contest with double-digit kills, finishing Friday night's action with 11 of them. Iliff and Crownover added three service aces each.
Mizzou benefitted from a 46-19 kill differential, which included seven more service aces than UT Martin and four more blocks.
Up next - MU closes the book on the Mizzou Invitational on Sunday, Sept. 15. The Tigers will face another Show Me State rival, welcoming Lindenwood to Columbia for the event's finale. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
