“`html
Mizzou Volleyball Upsets No.16 Tennessee in Knoxville, Securing Seventh Straight Victory
Table of Contents
Mizzou volleyball continued its impressive winning streak Friday, defeating No. 16 tennessee 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17) on the Lady Vols’ home court.This marks the Tigers’ seventh consecutive victory overall and thier sixth straight in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play, along with their first win over a ranked opponent this season.
The Tigers, now 16-7 overall and 7-4 in the SEC, held Tennessee (16-4, 7-3 SEC) to a .173 hitting percentage, a key factor in securing the upset. This victory also represents Mizzou’s first win in Knoxville as November 24, 2019.
Key Performances drive Mizzou to Victory
Senior outside hitter Caylen Alexander led the offensive charge with 19 kills, while senior right side hitter Kylie Lobaglio added three.Freshman zoey Matias-Lopez led the team in digs with 14.
Rounding out the strong team effort, redshirt senior Tyrah Ariail tallied nine kills, three service aces, four digs, and two blocks, and senior Janet deMarrais added 10 kills and nearly recorded a double-double with nine digs, along with two blocks.
Set-by-Set Breakdown: A Battle of Momentum
The first set saw a tight contest, with both teams trading points.Mizzou entered the media timeout with a narrow 15-14 advantage, fueled by a hitting percentage exceeding.300 compared to Tennessee’s sub-.100 performance. A late kill from Alexander forced a Tennessee timeout with the score at 22-21 in favor of the Tigers. Lobaglio then took control, recording the final two kills of the set as Mizzou closed it out with a 4-0 run, 25-21.
The second set presented a different challenge, as Tennessee came out strong with a 5-0 run, prompting a quick timeout from Mizzou. The Tigers battled back with a 3-0 run of their own, narrowing the gap to 7-9. After tying the score at 18-16, Mizzou briefly took the lead, but Tennessee responded with a 5-0 scoring streak to win the set 25-23.
mizzou responded emphatically in the third set, opening with a dominant 7-0 run, forcing a Tennessee timeout. This run was powered by three kills from Alexander, an ace from Ariail, and three attack errors by the Lady Vols. Tennessee mounted a comeback, closing the gap to 16-15, but Mizzou regained control, ultimately winning the set 25-23 after Crownover recorded back-to-back kills.
The fourth set saw Mizzou seize control early, overcoming a 9-7 deficit with a decisive 9-1 run to establish a 16-10 lead. This run featured kills from Lobaglio, Crownover, Ariail, and deMarrais, showcasing the team’s balanced attack. Mizzou continued to build its lead, hitting .429 in the set, and ultimately closed out the match with a 25-17 victory. the Tigers finished the match with a .283 overall hitting percentage.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Mizzou improves to 15-2 when winning the first set and 7-4 in four-set matches. Head coach Dawn Sullivan now boasts a 56-29 record with the Tigers and a 165-67 overall record, improving to 2-2 against Tennessee.
The tigers will conclude their Tennessee road trip with a first-ever matchup against Vanderbilt on Sunday, November 2, at 1 p.m. in Nashville. .
For the latest data on Mizzou Volleyball, visit MUTigers.com. Follow the Tigers on X, Instagram, and Related
