HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The University of Missouri volleyball team (3-3) fell to South Dakota (3-2) in four sets (25-15, 23-25, 20-25, 16-25) Sunday morning at Regents Hall.
Mizzou finished the 2024 NKU Invitational with a 1-2 mark, picking up a Friday win over host Northern Kentucky.
Mychael Vernon led a trio of Tigers in double-digits attacking, finishing with 15 kills and 13 digs. It marked her fourth double-double outing as a Tiger.
Janet deMarrais chipped in 12 kills for her second double-digit kill performance in 2024 and second of the weekend.
Jordan Iliff finished with 11 kills, 10 digs, three aces and three blocks. The double-double was her third in 2024.
Sierra Dudley passed out 26 assists while Marina Crownover totaled 15 assists and four digs.
Libero Maya Sands grabbed 17 digs to pace a trio of Mizzou student-athletes with 10 or more digs.
FIRST SET (25-15 Mizzou, Mizzou leads 1-0)
The Tigers opened the set with a 3-0 run after capitalizing on South Dakota’s errors.
Kills from Iliff and deMarrais put Mizzou up 4-1.
Mizzou pushed its lead to 7-3 after a rally stopper from Regan Haith.
Going into the media timeout, the Tigers led 15-11 with kills from deMarrais, Iliff and Colleen Finney.
Vernon made the Coyotes pay on an overpass to force South Dakota into a timeout at 18-13. Following the timeout, Vernon put another one away at 19-14.
A big save from Sands allowed deMarrais to put one down that set the Tigers up 21-15 and commenced a 5-0 run to secure the stanza, 25-15.
Mizzou closed the set after adding a kill from Iliff and a block by Haith and deMarrais.
Iliff (.375) and deMarrais (.300) each had three kills in the opening frame. Mizzou hit a match-best .357 out of the gates.
SECOND SET (25-23 South Dakota, Tied 1-1)
The Tigers came out strong in set #2 with a 3-0 run, seeing kills from Vernon and Iliff.
South Dakota pushed ahead with their first lead of the match at 6-5 before Iliff answered with a kill to tie it back at 6-6.
Neither team was able to pull ahead until South Dakota put a pair away heading into the media timeout leading 15-13.
Following a Mizzou timeout at 18-13, deMarrais notched a kill to end a 5-0 run by the Coyotes.
Vernon collected a pair of kills to bring the Tigers within three at 20-17.
A stop at the net from Finney and Vernon coupled with a kill by deMarrais brought the score even at 22-22 before a couple of South Dakota points sent the Tigers into a timeout at 24-22.
The Coyotes evened the match, grabbing the second frame on a 3-1 run (25-23).
Vernon and deMarrais each tallied five kills in the second set. Set #2 featured eight ties and three lead changes.
THIRD SET (25-20 South Dakota, South Dakota leads 2-1)
South Dakota continued their momentum from the second set to get out to an early 6-3 lead over the Tigers.
Vernon put one down at the ten-foot line to bring the score to 8-5, but the Coyotes continued their hot streak with a 3-0 run to prompt a Mizzou timeout at 11-6.
Crownover then checked into the contest and set Iliff for a kill on the right side to cut the score to 13-9.
A 3-0 Tigers run then trimmed the margin to 19-15.
Crownover and Iliff each both added service aces but couldn’t hold off the Coyotes’ attacks as they took the third set (25-20).
With South Dakota leading 24-18, the Tigers fended off set point twice before the Coyotes prevailed.
Vernon posted five kills in the third stanza.
FOURTH SET (25-16 South Dakota, South Dakota wins 3-1)
South Dakota did not let up going into the fourth, going on a 7-2 run that was ended by a block from Finney and Iliff.
Crownover decreased the deficit to 9-6 as she set up kills for Haith and Iliff.
Iliff notched another ace to make it a two-point lead (9-7) for South Dakota and deMarrais added a kill at 10-8.
South Dakota pushed back at the Tigers’ attempts going on a 3-0 run (13-8). Haith put an end to the rally by forcing a kill through the Coyote block.
After a few more points by the Coyotes, Vernon continued to fight adding a pair of kills to make the score 16-11.
A termination from deMarrais kept the South Dakota lead at five (19-14) before a 5-0 run brought on set point (24-14).
Finney connected on a kill before a Coyote service error, but the Tigers could not hold off South Dakota and dropped the final set (25-16).
MATCH NOTES
- Mychael Vernon earned a double-double with 15 kills and 13 digs. It marked her second double-double of the NKU Invitational and her fourth double-double as a Tiger.
- Regan Haith notched five kills on a .444 hitting percentage.
- Jordan Iliff registered a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. The double-double was her third in 2024.
- Jordan Iliff also notched season-bests of three blocks and three service aces.
- Sierra Dudley dished out 26 assists Sunday.
- Maya Sands grabbed 17 digs to lead Mychael Vernon and Jordan Iliff who also registered double-digit digs.
- Colleen Finney led the team with four blocks to match her season high previously set against Northern Kentucky on Sept. 6 in the NKU Invitational opener.
- Marina Crownover added 15 assists, four digs and a service ace.
- Janet deMarrais registered 12 kills for her second double-digit kill performance of the weekend and her second of the season. Her first double-digit kill performance came against Northern Kentucky on Sept. 6 (20 kills).
- Kiaraliz Perez Catala added a season-best seven digs in her fifth start of the campaign.
- Mizzou now holds a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series against South Dakota following the loss.
LOOKING AHEAD
- Missouri next returns home for the third week of the season to host the 2024 Mizzou Invitational.
- The Tigers will face Kansas City and UT Martin on Sept. 13 in their home opener at the Hearnes Center before wrapping the tournament against Lindenwood on Sept. 15.
- Tickets for each match of the 2024 Mizzou Invitational are $5 and can be purchased online.
- The Kansas City match is Field Trip Day while the evening contest against UT Martin features a Welcome to the Zou student tailgate and t-shirt giveaway, while supplies last.
- The tournament finale against Lindenwood is Kids Day with a Truman Squish Mellow giveaway, while supplies last.
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.
