University of Missouri
16-8,7-5SEC
Vanderbilt
6-15,2-10SEC
Volleyball Falls Short of Comeback at Vanderbilt
11/2/2025 4:02:00 PM | Volleyball
The Tigers battled back down 2-0 to force a fifth set before eventually falling to the Commodores 3-2.
Mizzou volleyball (16-8, 7-5 SEC) falls to Vanderbilt (6-15, 2-10 SEC) 3-2 (24-26, 13-25, 25-23, 25-21, 14-16) on Sunday, Nov. 2 at the Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.
The Tigers forced a fifth set after initially going down 2-0, before dropping the final set to end their seven-match winning streak.
KEY PLAYERS
- Senior Janet deMarrais led the team with 13 kills, and added three blocks to her stat line.
- Freshman Nina Mandovic posted her first career double-double with a career high 36 assists and 12 digs.
- Redshirt senior Tyrah Ariail had a team high five total blocks.
- Senior Maya Sands recorded 14 digs and freshman Zoey Matias-Lopez had 10.
FIRST SET (24-26, Vanderbilt leads 1-0)
Initially, both sides made strides early, as the Tigers would hold the largest lead before the timeout by two points on multiple occasions. However, the lead would interchange as Vanderbilt would go into the media timeout up 15-14. Before the break, there would be 11 ties and four lead changes as the Commodores were hitting .500 and Mizzou was hitting .412 with each team only offering up one attack error, respectively.
Out of the timeout, the Tigers would knot it up at 15, but then Vandy would go on a 4-1 scoring run to force a timeout from MU. Mizzou came out of the break, outscoring the Commodores 3-2, forcing a timeout by the home team with Vanderbilt up 21-19.
The Commodores would earn their biggest lead of the set as they went up 23-20. The Tigers would battle back to put it within one, but in the end, the home team would take it 26-24.
SECOND SET (25-13, Vanderbilt leads 2-0)
Vanderbilt came out with a major swing of momentum, as it forced a Mizzou timeout early, as the Commodores led 9-2. That trend continued as Vandy built its lead into an eight-point advantage at 15-7.
Eventually, the Commodores would add to the lead as the Tigers were forced into a timeout after Vandy extended its lead to 10 points – 20-10. The rest of the set played out exactly like the rest as Vanderbilt would clinch the set 25-13.
The Commodores outhit Mizzou .455 to .118 for the entirety of the second set.
THIRD SET (25-23, Vanderbilt leads 2-1)
At the start of the third, the Tigers would majorly switch up their lineup, as two new starters would step on the Taraflex: freshman Asia Harvey and junior Trinity Luckett. With the new look, Mizzou was back in it as the two squads were exchanging blows like the first set.
The Tigers forced the first timeout of the set, as they went on a 3-0 scoring run to put themselves up 11-8. Mizzou would add one more point to that lead and stick with that for the majority of the set. It wasn't until the Tigers earned a five-point lead, 19-14, that the second Vandy timeout happened.
Mizzou would continue to build the lead, going up as much as eight points, 23-15. However, the set was not easily decided as Vandy followed that with a 7-0 scoring run to make it 23-22. Out of the Tigers' timeout, Mizzou would finish the set 25-23.
FOURTH SET (25-21, Match tied 2-2)
With their backs once again against the wall, the Tigers were forced into a timeout early as Vanderbilt rattled off four-straight points to open the set. Mizzou was able to battle back quickly as a 4-0 run put them behind by one point, 7-6.
The Tigers eventually tied the set and added to their lead as they went on a 4-0 run, going up 14-11, at which point Vandy called its timeout. The Commodores would even the match with a 3-0 rally on their side, making it 17 for both sides. That score wouldn't last, as the Tigers would follow it with another 4-0 run, making it 21-17.
That lead would stay as Mizzou would head into the fifth set after claiming the set 25-21.
FIFTH SET (16-14, Vanderbilt wins 3-2)
Heading into the fifth, the Tigers were searching for their first reverse sweep since Aug. 26, 2013 (vs. Central Arkansas). However, they would still have to face an uphill battle, as Vanderbilt led 8-4 as the two teams switched sides.
The Commodores would extend the lead, as the Tigers would take the first timeout of the set as they trailed 9-4. Mizzou ended up claiming the following two points and another timeout, this timeout from Vanderbilt's side, stopped play at 9-6.
The Tigers would score three straight to get it within one at 10-9, but the Commodores would keep it a two-score set as MU called a timeout at 12-10. Vanderbilt would get to match point, and the Tigers would fight it off to tie it at 14-14. A service error and a block would seal the win for Vanderbilt, as they would clinch it 16-14.
GAME NOTES
- This was the debut match between the Tigers and the Commodores, as Vanderbilt now leads the all-time series 1-0.
- Dawn Sullivan is now 56-30 as the Tigers head coach, 165-68 overall.
- The Tigers are 2-3 on the season in five set matches, as Mizzou is 12-5 under head coach Dawn Sullivan. Sullivan is 31-16 all-time in five setters as a head coach.
- MU is now 1-6 when the opponent wins the first set and is 0-4 when they are down 2-0.
UP NEXT
- The Tigers return home for one of their toughest matches of the season, as they host No. 3 Kentucky for Senior Day on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Hearnes Center.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
- For all the latest information on Mizzou Volleyball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
