University of Missouri
5-0
Austin Peay
1-6
No. 21 Mizzou Volleyball Sweeps Friday Doubleheader at Hearnes
9/13/2019 10:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Tigers improve to 6-0 on the young season
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 21 Mizzou Volleyball (6-0) began its home-opening weekend Friday with a pair of victories over Austin Peay and Northern Iowa.
In an early-morning contest, the Tigers swept (25-21, 25-10, 25-14) the Governors behind a powerful offensive performance. Mizzou eclipsed .500-plus hitting for the second time this season, as its 49 kills on .512 hitting marked the ninth-highest single-match hitting percentage in program history.
In the nightcap against the Panthers, Mizzou once again responded after dropping a set, en route to a 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-17, 25-14) triumph. This season, the Tigers have dropped four total sets. Following those four set defeats, Mizzou has answered with nine consecutive set victories en route to a match win.
#ShowMe Top Performers vs. Austin Peay
- Kylie Deberg: 17 kills on .448 hitting, 2 aces, 3 digs, 2 solo blocks
- Andrea Fuentes: 44 assists
- Kayla Caffey: 8 kills on .700 hitting, 1 solo block, 2 total blocks
- Tyanna Omazic: 9 kills on .583 hitting, 1 ace, 2 total blocks
- Leketor Member-Meneh: 9 kills on .615 hitting, 1 ace
- Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana: 5 kills on .455 hitting, 2 aces, 2 total blocks
#ShowMe Top Performers vs. Northern Iowa
- Fuentes: 40 assists, 17 digs, 4 total blocks
- Deberg: 18 kills on .311 hitting, 2 aces, 7 digs, 2 total blocks
- Omazic: 11 kills on .450 hitting, 1 ace, 6 total blocks
- Leandra Mangual-Duran: 13 digs, 2 assists, 1 ace
Hear From Interim Head Coach Joshua Taylor
On opening the weekend with two victories…
"It's always a good day when you leave with two wins. This is the second-straight weekend where we've had a tournament-opening doubleheader. It's definitely challenging for everyone involved. I'm proud of how our group kept focus and battled adversity, especially in the finale against Northern Iowa. We take pride in training very hard during the week, which allows us to be ready when challenges come our way in a match. We need to rest up and get ready for a matchup against Kansas City and keep the momentum going."
#MIZ Takeaways
- Freshman Kenna Sauer made her Mizzou debut Friday, appearing in three total sets across the two matches. The Ankeny, Iowa, native tallied one kill and one solo block off the bench.
- In Friday's opener, Mizzou's offense was a menace yet again. The Tigers were lights out in sets two and three, hitting .800 and .591, respectively.
- After picking up 17 kills versus Austin Peay and 18 kills against Northern Iowa, Deberg has tallied 14-plus kills in all six contests this season. Additionally, she's finished with a .300-plus hitting mark in five of six matchups.
- Omazic continues to produce an outstanding rate at middle blocker, adding 20 kills on .500 hitting across Friday's doubleheader.
- The high efficiency on offense for the Kansas City, Missouri, native has been mind-boggling. She's now posted eight-plus kills on .450-plus hitting in all six contests this season.
Up Next
Day Two of the Tiger Invitational is scheduled for Saturday morning and afternoon. Mizzou will face Kansas City at 2 p.m. CT for a single-game contest. The Tigers close their home-opening weekend Sunday with a matchup against Boise State. First serve is slated for Noon CT.
Single-game tickets for the 2019 Mizzou campaign are available at MUTigers.com/VBTix.
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).
