University of Missouri
Miami
Mizzou Volleyball Falls at Miami, 3-1
9/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Mizzou volleyball committed a season-high 29 attack errors in a 3-1 (22-25, 16-25, 27-25, 18-25) loss at the hands of Miami on Saturday night (Sept. 20) in the final match of the Miami Invitational. The loss drops the Tigers to 9-5 on the year as the Tigers open SEC play next weekend at the Hearnes Center. The loss also snaps a five-match winning streak for the Tigers.
"I am disappointed tonight," head coach Wayne Kreklow said. "I just don't think we came in very focused tonight. Proud of how we battled in set three, but ultimately we just found ourselves in too many deep holes throughout the night - we can't expect to win when we do that."
Sophomore All-American Carly Kan (Honolulu, Hawaii) tallied her SEC-best 11th double-double and senior All-American Whitney Little (Keller, Texas) tallied 12 kills on .360 hitting. Mizzou struggled to slow Miami's offense, especially the pin-hitting duo of Savanah Leaf and Taylor Scott, who had 22 and 18 kills, respectively. In all, Miami hit .299 in the win. Loxley Keala (Kaneohe, Hawaii) tallied her 10th double-double of the year with 25 assists and 11 digs as well.
The Canes opened a 3-1 led before a 5-0 run led to a 6-3 lead for the Tigers. After posting a match-high 12 kills and 10 blocks in the morning match against UNCG, Little tallied three kills and a solo block in Mizzou's first nine points. Despite opening a 9-5 lead, it was a game of runs early in the first and the teams played tight until a late surge from Miami led to a 25-22 set loss for Mizzou. Mizzou led 22-21, but Miami scored the final four points of set one. Six attack errors hurt Mizzou, as it hit just .105 in set one.
Miami opened a 4-0 lead in set two before a pair of Sydney Deeken (California Mo.) kills pulled Mizzou back into the frame. But that early blunder for the Tigers was all Miami needed to run away with a 25-16 set win as it took a 2-0 lead into the break. Mizzou got as close as 20-16, but a kill and a pair of blocks helped Miami pull away late. Mizzou had 12 attack errors in the second set.
Mizzou fell behind, 6-3, in the third set but it rallied to tie the set at 7-7 before Miami ran off four in a row to put the Tigers on their heels. Mizzou got as close as 12-11 using back-to-back blocks, but Miami countered with a 6-1 run and that put the set and the match out of reach for the Tigers. Mizzou rallied to tie the set late at 18-18 and again at 19-19. The Tigers then fended off a pair of match points and Kan tallied solo stuff to send the match to a fourth set after a 27-25 set win. Kan was huge late in the frame, tallying five kills and the solo stuff. Regan Peltier (Nixa, Mo.) also tallied a huge transition kill for the Tigers' 26th point as the Tigers rallied from down 18-12 to win the set.
Despite winning the third in dramatic fashion, Mizzou fell behind 4-0 early in the fourth set. The Tigers struggled to close that initial gap and dropped the frame, 25-18.
Mizzou will return home to open SEC play on Sept. 26 against Mississippi State on SEC Network-Plus. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouVB
