Mizzou upsets defending national champions at No. 9 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (KMIZ)

Mizzou Volleyball (16-5) has created a three-way tie at the top of the SEC standings. Dawn Sullivan's squad knocked off last season's NCAA champion No. 9 Texas (12-5) in a five-set thriller on the road.

Wednesday night's contest was a back-and-forth affair at Gregory Gymnasium. After losing the first frame 25-21, the Tigers battled back to tie the match with a 25-19 win in the second set.

Facing elimination after an 8-point loss in set three, MU put its relentless, no-quit mentality on full display. St. Louis native Jordan Iliff forced a winner-take-all fifth frame with one of her game-high 18 kills, clinching a 26-24 victory in set four. The first half of the final frame was back-and-forth, but the Tigers pulled away with an 8-2 scoring run, leading to a 15-10 tally in the fifth set.

Iliff, Mychael Vernon (16) and Janet deMarrais (15) all finished the contest with double-digit kills. Vernon, Marina Crownover and Maya Sands also added two service aces each and four different Tigers posted at least 10 digs.

Up next - MU has its eyes set on extending its current winning streak to seven straight games when Georgia pays a visit to the Hearnes Center on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The first contest of Mizzou's upcoming three-game homestand is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.