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Felder, Johnson Guide Volleyball to Fifth-Straight WinFelder, Johnson Guide Volleyball to Fifth-Straight Win
Volleyball

Felder, Johnson Guide Volleyball to Fifth-Straight Win

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – Mizzou Volleyball won its fifth-consecutive match on Sunday in Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum. The 3-1 victory improved the Tigers’ record to 14-8 on the season and 6-3 in Southeastern Conference play.

KEY PLAYERS

  • Fifth year Kimani Johnson (Southfield, Mich.) and sophomore Paige Felder (Parowan, Utah) contributed 13 kills each for the Black and Gold, combining to account for 50.9 percent of the team’s total kills. The duo notched three total blocks each, with Johnson posting her third solo block of the season.
  • Junior Nina Mandovic (Subotica, Serbia) recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 27 assists and 13 digs. The setter also ended the match with two aces.

SET ONE (Georgia wins 25-23, Georgia leads 1-0)

Missouri opened the set with strong efforts both offensively and defensively, with Johnson kicking things off with a kill and freshman Eva Smith (Durham, N.C.) and Felder each throwing up a block (2-0). The teams would then begin a series of trading points until Georgia pulled ahead with the advantage, but kills from freshman Lydia Stahley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and senior Grace O’Reilly (Springfield, Mo.) helped narrow the gap within three heading into the media timeout, 15-12.

The Black and Gold offense rallied back out of the timeout to claim the lead 18-17, thanks to a trio of kills from Johnson. Sophomore Zoey Matias-Lopez (Miami, Fla.) kept the run going with an ace, followed by a Lauren Larkin (St. George, Utah) solo block, her fifth of the season (20-17). Georgia would then respond with a four-point run to tie it up 22-22. Johnson pitched in a kill to keep the Tigers alive, but the Bulldogs ultimately took the opening set with two aces and two kills, 25-23.

SET TWO (Mizzou wins 25-15, Tied 1-1)

MU began the second set with a pair of kills from Larkin and Johnson to establish the early lead, 2-0. The Bulldogs would fight back with kills of their own, but an ace by senior Sierra Dudley (Spartanburg, S.C.) kept the pace for the Tigers (5-3). Georgia would battle to tie it up 6-6, but Missouri ignited a four-point run to force a Georgia timeout, thanks to a block from Larkin and O’Reilly and a kill by Stahley (10-6).

Mandovic kept the Tigers ahead with an ace, her 11th of the season (12-9). Georgia defended its home court by posting two kills of its own, but freshman Maizy Agnello (Crystal Lake, Ill.) fired off a kill to jumpstart a six-point run for the Tigers, continued with a pair of kills by Johnson and an ace by Matias-Lopez (18-11). The Bulldogs fought to gain the advantage, but Mizzou secured the set with kills from O’Reilly and Agnello, 25-15.

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

Georgia initiated the lead in the opening frame, but a trio of Felder kills closed the gap to get within one point (5-4). The Black and Gold’s defense came alive with two-consecutive blocks from Smith and Felder and then Smith and O’Reilly (6-6). The teams would then trade points to tie it up for the fourth time, 8-8, thanks to a kill by O’Reilly assisted by senior libero Ainoah Cruz (Arecibo, P.R.). 

Georgia responded and began to build a lead, but freshman Ceylin Kuyan (Istanbul, Turkey) halted the run with a kill of her own (11-9). Larkin pitched in a kill to narrow the scoring margin, but the Bulldogs kept the momentum entering the media timeout with a five-point lead, 15-10.

The teams exchanged points out of the break, with Felder holding up the offense for MU. O’Reilly tied the set once again after a block assist with Larkin and a kill, her ninth of the match (17-17). Georgia broke through and continued to hold the lead, but Missouri inched closer with kills from Kuyan and Larkin (21-20). A scoring sequence consisting of a block by Smith and Mandovic and a kill by Felder clinched the first lead for the Tigers, forcing the Bulldogs into a timeout (23-22). Felder, Smith and Mandovic then collected a block for MU to call set point, and took the win after a Georgia attack error, 25-23.

SET FOUR (Mizzou wins 25-18, Mizzou wins 3-1)

The fourth set began with Felder spearheading the Missouri offense, recording two kills and a service ace. Smith nabbed a solo block to hold up the defense, extending the score to 7-3. Georgia responded with a three-point scoring run, but MU matched the effort with a three-point run of its own, consisting of back-to-back kills from Kuyan and one from Johnson (12-7). 

Mizzou continued to carry its lead as both teams exchanged points, with Johnson, Felder and Smith collecting kills for the Black and Gold (18-11). The Bulldogs crept closer with a three-point run, but a combination of a Larkin kill and Mandovic ace pushed the score to 22-16. A kill by Felder followed by a solo block by Johnson sealed the match for the Tigers, 25-18, pushing the Missouri winning streak to five.

GAME NOTES

  • Mizzou improved to 13-8 on the season and 6-3 in SEC play.
  • Missouri is one of three SEC teams that have clinched a five-match win streak in conference play, joining Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
  • Head coach Dawn Sullivan improved to 179-79 all-time and 70-41 at MU. 
  • Under Sullivan’s tenure with Missouri, the Tigers have won four of their five meetings vs. Georgia.
  • MU is now 14-10 all-time against Georgia and 5-5 on the road.
  • Felder secured her fifth-consecutive match with double-digit kills.
  • Matiaz-Lopez reached a single-season high aces with two in the contest.
  • The Tigers outhit the Bulldogs .254 to .188 and totaled 12 blocks.

NEXT UP

The Tigers continue conference play with a matchup against No. 4 Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum on Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+.

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