Mizzou volleyball (12-7, 4-4 SEC) rallied around a 10-point swing in set three to take down LSU (10-9, 3-5 SEC) in four sets (25-19, 20-25, 27-25, 25-19) on Sunday, Oct. 19 at Hearnes Center. 

The Tigers overcame a 10-point deficit in the third set, putting them up 2-1 and allowing them to secure their third-straight victory, and improving to 4-4 in conference play.

KEY PLAYERS

• Senior Janet deMarrais recorded 17 kills with a .400 hitting percentage, alongside 4 digs. Senior Caylen Alexander matched that total with 17 of her own.
• Redshirt senior Tyrah Ariail recorded 10 kills and added seven blocks in the victory.
• Senior Maya Sands posted 16 digs and freshman Zoey Matias-Lopez posted 12 digs. Sands also posted four service aces and three assists on the day.
• Freshman Nina Mandovic recorded 22 assists in the and tallied a career-high six blocks

FIRST SET (25-19, Mizzou leads 1-0) 

Mizzou started off the first set strong with a 8-1 lead – largest opening frame lead this season – forcing LSU to call a timeout. Following the timeout, points were traded between the two teams, as MU maintained a lead throughout. 

A rotation error by LSU gave Mizzou another point to make the lead 16-10. LSU would then call a timeout after Sands recorded an ace, giving the Tigers a lead of 17-10. 

A kill from senior Caylen Alexander brought the lead to 20-14. Mizzou would finish the first frame 25-19, after never trailing.

SECOND SET (20-25, Match Tied 1-1)

The second set started back and forth until the Tigers took charge, creating a 7-4 lead. LSU would earn the lead at 8-7. The LSU Tigers would further their lead by heading into the break, up 15-11 after a 3-0 scoring run.

Mizzou called their first timeout of the match after LSU continued to lead 18-12. LSU continued to add to the lead until the Tigers of Mizzou subbed in Mandovic. The freshman propelled MU to five-straight points.

However, the late surge wasn't enough as LSU evened the match at 1-1 with a 25-20 set victory. 

THIRD SET (27-25, Mizzou leads 2-1)

The third set started off favoring the visitors as LSU went up initially 6-1. Back-to-back kills from Alexander would stop the streak, but LSU would continue to move ahead. Mizzou trailed 15-7 heading into the first break of action.  

LSU continued to widen the gap, causing the Tigers to call a timeout after falling behind 20-11. That timeout proved to be the most significant moment of the match, as the Tigers came out of the timeout with a whole new demeanor.  

Mizzou would rally with an 8-0 scoring run, and a crucial challenge would extend the set and put the Tigers into a 24-24 set. MU finished off the third set on a 3-0 run to make the final score of the set 27-25.

FOURTH SET (25-19, Mizzou wins 3-1) 

Starting the fourth set, the two teams kept the score tight with a few attack errors coming from both sides. Each team showed resistance, not allowing the score to vary by more than two points until Mizzou led 21-18. 

Matias-Lopez would extend that lead with a service ace, putting Mizzou up four – 22-18. LSU would earn one point back, but two kills from Ariail and an attack error would end the Tigers as Mizzou would win the match after a 25-19 set victory. 

GAME NOTES

• Mizzou leads the all-time series against LSU 15-7 and currently has a two-match winning streak against the Tigers. 
• Dawn Sullivan is now 52-29 as the Tigers head coach, 161-67 overall and is 2-1 against LSU at Mizzou.
• Mizzou trailed by as much as 10 points in the third set, making that the largest-set comeback of the season. 

UP NEXT

Mizzou volleyball will take a break from conference play, as they travel to SEMO for a midweek nonconference matchup starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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