Volleyball Clinches Home Victory Over Arkansas StateVolleyball Clinches Home Victory Over Arkansas State
Volleyball

Volleyball Clinches Home Victory Over Arkansas State

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou volleyball topped Arkansas State 3-1 in its first match of the Mizzou Tournament on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 in Columbia at Hearnes Center, overcoming a first-set setback before bouncing back to sweep the next three.

KEY PLAYERS 

  • Grace O’Reilley led the offense with season-high 13 kills and three blocks
  • Paige Felder notched 10 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season. The junior also added three blocks.
  • Sierra Dudley recorded 36 assists and passed the milestone of 1,500 in her career, at 1,502 after facing Arkansas State.
  • Freshman Ceylin Kuyan reached a career high of 11 digs in the match. The outside hitter also contributed nine kills.

SET ONE (Arkansas State 25-15, Arkansas State leads 1-0)

The opening set saw Arkansas State leading the match (4-0). Sophomore Paige Felder (Parowan, Utah) earned the first kill of the matchup for the Tigers (5-2) followed by attacks from fifth-Year Kimani Johnson (Southfield, Mich) and Junior Lauren Larkin (St. George, Utah) to bring the Tigers back up.

Arkansas State (3-4) responded with a strong offensive effort, taking a seven-point lead in the set (15-8). A kill by Junior Nina Mandovic (Subotica, Serbia) added another point to the board (17-10). Blocks by Felder and Freshman Eva Smith (Durham, N.C.-Chapel Hill) gave Missouri (4-2) energy late in the frame (22-13), but Arkansas closed out the first set with a 25-15 victory.

SET TWO (Mizzou 25-20, Tied 1-1)

Freshman Ceylin Kuyan (Istanbul, Turkey) started the second set strong with a kill (1-1). The Wolverines and Tigers continued to trade points early in the set. Senior Grace O’Reilly (Springfield, Mo.) recorded her first kill of the night, tying the score at (5-5). Another kill by O’Reilly, followed by another from Smith, helped the Tigers close the gap (10-8).

After battling to a 14-14 tie, the Tigers widened the gap with a series of serves from Smith (18-15). Larkin notched two kills and a block alongside Senior Sierra Dudley (Spartanburg, S.C.), helping the Tigers take a three-point lead (21-18). A pair of kills from Felder and O’Reilly led The Tigers to close out the set with a 25-20 victory, tying the match at 1-1.

SET THREE (Mizzou 25-23, Mizzou leads 2-1)

The Tigers carried the momentum from their second-set victory into the third frame. O’Reilly opened the set with a kill, giving the Tigers an early lead (2-1). O’Reilly and Smith defended the Tigers’ lead with a block (8-7). Felder and Larkin continued to post points at the net, helping the Tigers build a lead midway through the set (15-12).

A kill by Felder sent the Wolverines scrambling, while O’Reilly and Smith continued to defend the net with a block. Felder widened the gap with a five-serve series. After a hard-fought battle to the finish, the Tigers clinched the set with a kill by Kuyan assisted by Dudley (25-23).

SET FOUR (Mizzou 26-24, Mizzou wins 3-1)

The Wolverines started the fourth frame with the lead, but a kill by Felder helped the Tigers close the gap (6-4). Kills by Kuyan and Dudley tied the set at 10-10, followed by another kill from Larkin that gave the Tigers the lead (11-10).

The teams continued to trade points, and Arkansas State was able to gain a five-point edge to make it 20-15.

A kill by O’Reilly helped the Tigers shrink the deficit (21-18). Freshman Piper Batie (Bentonville, Ark.) made her Hearnes debut, recording two serves and two assists to help the Tigers tie the frame at 22-22. Johnson earned her first block of the night alongside Smith. After a final service ace by Dudley, the Tigers clinched the 26-24 victory and defeated the Wolverines, 3-1.

GAME NOTES

  • Missouri is now 7-2 against Arkansas State all-time.
  • Tigers head coach Dawn Sullivan is now 170-73 all time and 61-35 at Mizzou
  • Ainoah Cruz nears the milestone of 1,500 digs, at 1,486 after facing Arkansas State.
  • The Tigers now have 50+ kills and 40+ assists in back-to-back games, posting 51 kills and 48 assists.

NEXT UP

The Tigers will face Wichita State on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. in Hearnes Center as they continue play in the Mizzou Tournament. The event will be streamed on SECN+.

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