Mizzou completes perfect homestand with win over Mississippi State
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou Volleyball has flawlessly defended its home court. The Tigers finished off an undefeated four-game homestand by defeating Mississippi State in four sets on Sunday afternoon.
After Sunday's win, Dawn Sullivan's squad holds a perfect 7-0 record at the Hearnes Center this year with five more home games left in the regular season.
MU rallied from a 15-10 deficit in set one to take the lead with a 6-0 scoring run following a media timeout. Mississippi State managed to reach set point with a 24-22 lead after a kill from Amina Shackelford put Mizzou in danger of losing the first frame, but the Tigers responded to adversity again, tying the set with kills from Colleen Finney and Jordan Iliff and winning 27-25 off an attack error from the Bulldogs.
Unlike the first set, Mizzou was in complete control in the next frame. MU started the set on a 15-2 scoring run, highlighted by eight kills from four different players and two service aces from Iliff.
The Tigers were one set away from a sweep, following that dominating 25-12 win in the second set. However, Mizzou dug themselves into a 22-15 hole after committing a combined 11 attack and service errors. MU stormed back to take the lead with a 10-2 scoring run but could not close out the set, falling 31-29 on a kill from Rebecca Walk.
However, the momentum shifted back into Mizzou's favor midway through the final set. The Tigers strung together another lengthy scoring run, which included five straight points on a pair of service aces from Marina Crownover and two kills from Iliff and Mychael Vernon. MU sealed the win with a kill from Vernon, concluding a 25-18 final tally in the fourth frame.
Iliff and Vernon both surpassed 20 kills in this contest, finishing the afternoon with 23 and 22 kills respectively. Mizzou's top two kills leaders led the Tigers to record 73 combined kills, outclassing the Bulldogs by a 25-kill margin.
Defensively, Maya Sands recorded a career-best 30 digs and three other Tigers also reached double-digits in that category. MU also collectively posted seven blocks.
Up next - Mizzou hits the road for a difficult three-game road trip, starting with Arkansas at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25. The Tigers will also face No. 7 Texas before returning to the Hearnes Center next month.
