Mizzou volleyball wraps up big week with back-to-back conference wins

Playing two conference matches in three days, the Mizzou volleyball team impressed, securing multiple wins. They swept Alabama 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-21) on Friday and followed it up with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Tennessee (25-22, 25-27, 18-25, 25-23, 15-7) on Sunday.

In the first set, the Tigers held a brief lead before the Crimson Tide regained control and maintained it for most of the set. It wasn’t until the final moments that Mizzou pulled away. Trailing 21-19, the Tigers closed the set with a 6-1 run, securing a 25-22 victory.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with Mizzou taking the lead and holding onto it. A kill from grad-transfer Colleen Finney, along with two errors by Alabama, gave the Tigers a 7-6 edge. The set concluded with Jordan Iliff delivering three kills in four points, sealing a 25-19 win and putting Mizzou up 2-0.

The third set saw both teams exchanging kills until the score was tied at 16. That’s when Mizzou found momentum, taking five of the next six points to build a 21-17 lead. The Tigers carried their momentum to the finish, allowing just four more points to Alabama before closing out the set 25-21, completing the 3-0 sweep of the Crimson Tide.

When Tennessee arrived in Columbia on Sunday, the match had a different feel. With over 3,300 fans in attendance and the team sporting pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Hearnes Center was buzzing as Mizzou faced its toughest opponent yet, based on ranking.

The Tigers didn’t secure a lead until the closing moments of the first set. With the score tied at 21, Colleen Finney delivered a crucial kill to put Mizzou ahead, sparking a 4-1 run that clinched the set 25-22 and gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

While the Tigers led 5-3 in the second set, a powerful kill struck Colleen Finney in the head, knocking her to the ground. After about a minute, she got up and walked off with assistance from coaches and staff before reentering the game just a few points later.

The set stayed tight until the very end, with both teams reaching 24 points, forcing a win-by-two scenario.

Missouri secured the first point to go up 25-24, but the Lady Vols responded with three straight points—a kill, a service error by Mizzou, and an ace—closing out the set and tying the match at 1-1.

In the third set, Tennessee was locked in and focused on executing their game plan. With the score tied at 9-9, the Lady Vols went on a dominant run, taking nine of the next 11 points to build an 18-11 lead.

The Tigers found momentum late in the set, going on a 5-0 run fueled by four kills—two from Vernon—and an ace, cutting the deficit to two. However, Tennessee quickly responded, regaining control and closing out the set 25-18 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

“We were challenged, and we faced some adversity,” Coach Sullivan said. “The way we responded to that makes me so proud of this team.”

The Lady Vols carried their momentum into the fourth set, quickly jumping out to a 7-1 lead and seeming poised to put the match away. However, the Tigers weren’t backing down. They responded by winning eight of the next 10 points, surging back to take a 10-9 lead.

The back-and-forth battle continued throughout the set until the Tigers strung together another strong run. Trailing 18-15, Mizzou rallied to take a 20-19 lead and rode that momentum to close out the set, forcing the match into a winner-takes-all fifth set.

“I think it’s about coming together after each set and sharing positive words,” said junior Maya Sands when asked about staying composed after dropping two sets in a row. “Not making it a stressful situation and believing in each other.”

The final set was all Missouri. After trailing 5-4, the Tigers dominated with a 12-3 run, closing out the set 15-7 to win the match 3-2. The victory was fueled by outstanding team defense, with Maya Sands leading the way.

Coach Sullivan had a clear game plan for this matchup, carefully deciding which players to utilize. Reflecting on the strategy, Iliff said, “I think we knew going into it that their pin blockers were a bit weaker, so that was a big part of our game.”

Iliff delivered a massive double-double against Tennessee, tallying 21 kills and 21 digs. Vernon also notched 21 kills, marking the first time this season that two players have recorded 20+ kills in the same match.

The Tigers will return to action next Sunday, continuing SEC play against Mississippi State at the Hearnes Center at 2 p.m.