BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Mizzou volleyball fell to Dayton and Toledo in its first two matches of the Bowling Green/Toledo Invitational on Friday, Sept. 18 at Stroh Center. Both contests were five-set battles.

MATCH ONE: DAYTON

KEY PLAYERS 

• Senior Grace O’Reilly notched two career highs with 19 kills and five digs while maintaining a hitting percentage of .419.
• Fifth-year Kimani Johnson ended the match with a career high 18 kills and a season-best hitting percentage of .421.
• Freshman Maizy Agnello was the third Tiger to tally double-digit kills with a career high of 11. The outside hitter also contributed six digs, the most for her career in one match.

SET ONE 

The first set began with Felder getting things going for Mizzou, notching a kill to put the Tigers on the board 3-1. Libero Ainoah Cruz recorded a service ace and Grace O’Reilly had her first kill of the day to extend the lead to 6-3.

The Flyers would go on a run to take the lead before Mizzou broke through with a pair of kills from Johnson and Batie to shrink the deficit to 12-7.

Lauren Larkin brought the score within four with a kill 14-10. The Tigers went on a four-point run to close the gap to two points, but Dayton responded with a run of their own to reach for a 22-16 lead.. The Tigers fought for the lead, getting within two at match point 24-22 thanks to an Agnello kill. The Flyers would ultimately claim the set with a kill.

SET TWO 

MU opened the second set with a five-point run, fueled by a kill from Felder. Another early kill by O’Reilly extended the lead to 7-1. The offense remained strong throughout the frame to keep the Tigers ahead. 

O’Reilly hammered back-to-back kills to put Mizzou up by nine. Larkin, Felder, Smith, and Johnson all tallied kills in the remainder to dominantly seal the set for Missouri.

SET THREE 

Larkin earned the first point of the set with a kill. The teams then traded points and Dayton earned a slight edge (8-6). Smith and Larkin helped to tie the score with kills (10-10), and a block by Larkin and Johnson put MU in the lead (16-14). 

O’Reilly had two kills that extended the margin to four points (20-16). The Tigers claimed the set three victory thanks to a kill from Maizy Agnello (25-20). 

SET FOUR

Felder put the Tigers on the board with her sixth kill of the match. O’Reilly followed suit with her 10th, bringing the Tigers within one of the Flyers. Dayton maintained a one-point edge until two kills from O’Reilly put MU up 9-8. 

The teams remained within one point of each other for most of the set. A block by Johnson and Smith sparked momentum, but a kill from Dayton prevented a run. The Tigers tied the set at 22-22 following a kill from Johnson, but Dayton scored the next three points to win the set.

SET FIVE

Dayton began the fifth set with a three-point run which was stopped by O’Reilly. O’Reilly then notched another kill and a block alongside Larkin to tie the score.

Kills by Felder and Smith gave Mizzou a two-point lead, and the Tigers maintained the edge with kills from Johnson and Agnello. Dayton was able to tie the score at 12-12 and then took the lead. MU responded with two more kills punched by Johnson and Felder (14-14), but Dayton edged ahead and was able to claim the set (16-14) to win the match in five.

GAME NOTES

• Missouri is now 2-2 against Dayton all-time
• Tigers head coach Dawn Sullivan is now 172-74 all-time and 63-36 at Mizzou.
• Cruz’s 30 digs marks a season high, only six shy of her career best.
• The offense notched a season-high 73 kills and 64 assists.

MATCH TWO: TOLEDO

KEY PLAYERS

• Senior Sierra Dudley recorded her first double-double of the season with 18 assists and 14 digs.
• Felder led the offense with 16 kills, a career high.
• Agnello posted two back-to-back matches with double-digit kills with 10 in the contest.
• Junior Tia Phinezy achieved a season high six blocks to lead the Tigers.

SET ONE 

Felder opened the match with a kill to win the first point. Toledo gained an early edge despite kills from Batie and Johnson (8-4). 

Agnello led the offense, tallying five kills in the opening frame, but the Rockets were able to maintain their lead for the remainder, and they took the set 25-17.

SET TWO 

The Tigers started strong in the second set, with Felder notching three early kills, and Smith adding one to gain a quick lead (6-2). An ace by Batie and three straight kills for Lobaglio increased the gap (9-3). 

Toledo responded with a few runs that tied the score at 14. The Rockets took the lead, and Mizzou attempted to close the gap with an ace from Smith and a kill from junior Claire Morrissey, but Toledo sealed the set 25-21.

SET THREE 

Felder again secured the first point with a kill. The teams then traded points, until MU went on a four point run fueled by two blocks from Tia Phinezy and O’Reilly (8-5). 

The set remained close through the middle stage, but kills from Lobaglio, Felder, and Millie Bauer kept Mizzou in the lead (15-13). Phinezy added two more kills and a solo block to keep the Tigers’ momentum up (19-19). 

The offense stayed strong for the rest of the frame, and two consecutive kills from Felder plus another from Bauer allowed Mizzou to take the third set, 25-22.

SET FOUR

Missouri came out strong in the fourth, and quickly built a 7-2 lead sparked by three kills from Felder and back-to-back aces from Phinezy. Another ace from Batie and a kill from Bauer extended the advantage (12-4). 

Toledo was able to cut the lead to three points (13-10), but Mizzou responded with a 10-1 run, highlighted by kills from Agnello and Lobaglio, and an ace from Dudley. The Tigers sealed the set at 25-14 to force a fifth.

SET FIVE

Lobaglio punched a kill to win the first point for the Tigers before Toledo went on a run to take a 6-2 lead. Johnson snapped the run with a kill, but the Rockets stayed ahead despite another kill from Agnello (10-7). Toledo held their lead and was able to take the set 15-10 to win the match.

GAME NOTES

• Missouri is now 2-2 against Toledo all-time.
• Tigers head coach Dawn Sullivan is now 172-74 all-time and 63-36 at Mizzou.
• The Tigers now have 40+ kills and 30+ assists in nine consecutive matches.
• With 16 tonight, Paige Felder has double-digit kills in six matches this season.

NEXT UP

The Tigers continue road play and will face Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 19 in Bowling Green to close out the weekend. 

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