University of Missouri
7-3
Duquesne
9-3
@MizzouVB Posts Dominating 3-0 Sweep Over Duquesne
9/16/2016 5:17:00 PM | Volleyball
Tigers find success with new 5-1 offense
NEWARK, Del. – Mizzou Volleyball exploded for an easy 3-0 (25-11, 25-9, 25-17) sweep over Duquesne on Friday afternoon inside Acierno Arena. The Tigers completed an outstanding all-around match against the Dukes, shining on both offense and defense. Mizzou's attack recorded 43 kills on .412 hitting, while its defense finished with 10.0 total blocks and limited the opposition to -.034 overall hitting.
Friday's offensive effort marked Mizzou's second .400-plus hitting match of the season. Defensively, the Tigers' 10.0 total team blocks was their third consecutive match with double-digit blocks and sixth overall occurrence this year.
Redshirt junior Melanie Crow (Wildwood, Mo.) tallied a team-high 14 kills on .522 hitting to pace the Mizzou offense. Crow's incredibly efficient attack established a new season high in hitting percentage. Sophomore Alyssa Munlyn (Suwanee, Ga.) posted seven kills on .583 hitting, while redshirt junior Kira Larson (Fargo, N.D.) produced seven kills on .400 hitting to round out the robust individual offensive numbers.
Junior Courtney Eckenrode (The Woodlands, Texas) flourished as the Tigers' lone setter on Friday, as she finished with 35 assists. It marked her fifth match with 30-plus assists this season. Additionally, Eckenrode proved to be a threat on offense and defense, posting her first two kills and total blocks of the year.
The Tigers shifted to a 5-1 offense for the first time this year and things immediately clicked in the opening set. Mizzou exploded for a dominating 25-11 set triumph, highlighted by 13 kills on .360 hitting. Crow and Larson paced the offense with four kills apiece. Eckenrode was consistent at setter, producing 12 assists to the Mizzou attackers.
After an impressive opening set, Mizzou stepped up its game yet again in the second set. The Tigers tallied 13 kills on .458 hitting, highlighted by Crow and senior Carly Kan's (Honolulu) team-best four strikes. Mizzou's defense also set the tone throughout the second set, tallying five additional total blocks. Five different Tigers had multiple total blocks through two sets of play.
Duquesne had its strongest showing of the afternoon in the third set, but Mizzou still prevailed and completed its impressive 3-0 sweep. Crow added six more kills to her afternoon's total, aiding Mizzou's third consecutive set hitting over .300 and second consecutive set hitting over .400. Eckenrode capped her strong match with 14 of her 35 total assists in the match-clinching set.
UP NEXT
Mizzou is scheduled for two matches on Saturday, Sept. 17, as it concludes its run at the 2016 Delaware Invitational. The Tigers open the day against Miami (Fla.) with first serve set for 9 a.m. (CT). Later in the evening, Mizzou faces Delaware at 6 p.m. (CT) for its tournament finale.
The Hearnes Center will host Mizzou's 2016 Southeastern Conference opener on Wednesday, Sept. 21. First serve between the Tigers and South Carolina is set for 8 p.m. (CT) and the match will broadcast live on ESPNU.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Volleyball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (Missouri Volleyball) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouVB).
