No. 16 Mizzou volleyball (3-1) avenged its five-set loss yesterday, with a five-set victory over Arkansas State (2-3) on Friday, Sept. 5, at Valley View High School in Jonesboro, Ark.

The Tigers compiled 12 aces, including a multi-ace match from five different student-athletes in the five-set affair. 

KEY PLAYERS

• Senior Maya Sands led the charge with 23 digs and two aces.
• Senior Janet deMarrais had her first start of the season and had 13 kills with three aces. 
• Redshirt junior Marina Crownover posted her third double-double of the season, with 42 assists and 13 digs.
• Redshirt senior Tyrah Ariail was one short of her career high for blocks, as she posted eight total blocks.

FIRST SET (25-19, Mizzou leads 1-0)

The close nature of the original matchup was not lost heading into set number one, as it was back and forth to open the frame. It wasn't till Alexander recorded back-to-back aces and one more from Sands that the Tigers were able to extend their lead to four – 15-11 at the media timeout.

Out of the timeout, MU would add two more to earn a six-point advantage, before the Red Wolves would tamper that lead with a four-point scoring run. The Tigers would get it back with three of their own, as they coasted the rest of the way towards a 25-19 set victory.

SECOND SET (21-25, Match Tied 1-1)

Mizzou found its advantage early, forcing an ASU timeout at 7-3. However, the Red Wolves would find their way back into it, as they tied it up at 12-12. 

The teams would exchange either one point or two points at a time before ASU would eventually claim the lead on a 5-2 run and hold that for the remainder of the set. 

THIRD SET (25-18, Mizzou leads 2-1)

The Tigers got out to the early lead but, unlike the second set, stayed ahead, as they forced a timeout with an 11-6 lead. 

Mizzou would continue to grow the lead as it dominated the net with a massive solo block from Crownover. Following that, a duo of Alexander and Ariail claimed another one to go up 16-7.

The Tigers survived a small surge from the Red Wolves at the end of the set before winning it 25-18. 

FOURTH SET (21-25, Match Tied 2-2)

ASU opened the set on a hot streak, earning the first six points to open the frame. As Mizzou fought back, that scoring streak was the difference throughout the match.

Even as the Tigers clawed back to within two, that initial deficit proved too much, as the two squads headed to the fifth set for the second time. 

FIFTH SET (15-12, Mizzou Wins 3-2)

In a game that mirrored the first, the most significant change was the final score. 

The Red Wolves took the initial lead into the media timeout, as they led 8-6. However, everything changed when the Tigers went on a 3-0 scoring run to take the lead 11-10. That stretch included a kill from redshirt junior Kimani Johnson and deMarrais, which forced ASU into a timeout.

MU would finalize it with a 3-2 run, as freshman Zoey Matias-Lopez concluded the match with an ace. 

GAME NOTES

• Mizzou leads the all-time series against the Red Wolves 6-2.
• The Tigers are 11-3 in five-set matches under Dawn Sullivan (5-0 in 2023; 5-2 in 2024; 1-1 in 2025). 
• Head coach Dawn Sullivan is 43-23 with the Tigers, and has a road record of 15-13. Sullivan is 152-61 overall. 

UP NEXT

• The Tigers will host their first home match with a visit from No. 6-ranked Stanford at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at Hearnes Center. ESPN will broadcast the match with Kevin Barnett & Missy Whittemore on the call. 

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

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