After a 2-2 start to the season last weekend, Missouri volleyball kicked off its second consecutive weekend on the road by splitting its first two matches at the Boise State Invitational on Friday. After defeating the Sacramento Hornets in their first match, the Tigers fell to No. 10 Brigham Young University.
After taking a close loss in the first set against the Hornets, 26-24, the Tigers stepped up on defense to take control of the game. Mizzou tallied an impressive 75 digs and 16 total blocks to shut down the Hornets 25-20, 25-18 and 25-20.
There were several top performers in the match who helped propel the Tigers to victory.
In her debut for the Tigers, freshman Dariana Hollingsworth-Santana dominated at the net with 12 kills, 11 digs, five total blocks and two aces to earn her first collegiate double-double. Senior Sydney Deeken emerged as a weapon on the outside, contributing 13 kills, six total blocks and four digs. Redshirt senior Kira Larson had 11 kills, 16 digs and four blocks, and junior Alyssa Munlyn helped the Tigers with nine total blocks and seven kills.
“We did a good job of bouncing back and showing some discipline and maturity after letting the first set get away,” head coach Wayne Kreklow said in a press release. “Sacramento State came in 3-1 so I was pleased with the bounce back and offensive execution.”
The Tigers hung around during the first two sets against BYU but ultimately fell to the No. 10-ranked Cougars.
In the first set, Missouri struggled on offense and got itself into trouble, falling to the Cougars 25-13. Bouncing back in the second set, the Tigers rallied to even the match, winning 25-21. Mizzou battled hard throughout the remainder of the game but was outperformed by the Cougars, falling to 25-21 and 25-16 in the third and fourth sets, respectively.
Despite the final score, two Tigers gained personal victories. It did not take long for Hollingsworth-Santana to rack up a career-high 13 kills and eight total blocks, improving upon her performance from the first match.
“I had a lot on my mind before today and I think I did a good job of getting my head in the game and bouncing back each play,” Hollingsworth-Santana said in a press release. “One of my focuses in each match was to know my shots and when to take them. I think that was one of the keys to being successful offensively.”
Munlyn tallied a career high as well, matching the school record for total blocks with 13.
“It means that all the hard work we’re putting in is paying off,” Munlyn said in a press release. “It’s exciting to see the improvement in such a short amount of time, but I’m definitely not done personally. The single-match blocking record is just a bonus. I’m more concerned about being the best player I can be.”
Missouri will finish up the competition on Saturday with a matchup against the host team Boise State. The first serve is set for 8:30 p.m. CT.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_
