Kylie Deberg, former Missouri volleyball All-SEC graduate outside hitter, led LSU to a three-set sweep over her previous team Wednesday night.
Deberg arrived at Missouri following her freshman year at Illinois and immediately proved her value, as she evolved into one of the SEC’s premier talents. She tallied 59 aces her sophomore year, which ranks third all-time in Missouri single-season history. That season, Deberg finished top 10 in the SEC in kills, points and aces and earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-American honors.
In 2019, Deberg produced one of the greatest seasons in Missouri volleyball history, earning AVCA Second-Team All-American honors. She finished with a single-season record 524 kills, produced 49 aces and helped the Tigers make the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The coronavirus pandemic shortened Deberg’s third and final season at Missouri, but she still produced 433 kills and 42 aces through 24 games. Her consistent performance throughout the season earned her AVCA Second-Team All-American honors for the second year in a row. Once again, she led Missouri to a strong performance and another trip to the NCAA tournament’s second round.
Following her senior season, Deberg transferred to LSU for her graduate year to play both indoor and beach volleyball. Through three seasons, she concluded her time at Missouri ninth in all-time kills(1,382), ranked third with 150 service aces and finished ninth in points (1,639.5).
Wednesday night’s battle was a flashback for Deberg, who finished with 19 kills and a .444 hitting percentage as she propelled LSU to its sixth victory of the season.
Deberg managed 4 kills in the first set, but produced one of the most monumental plays of the game. With Missouri holding onto a 22-21 lead, senior middle blocker Whitney Foreman set the ball for Deberg, who rose into the air and delivered a hit that touched down slightly beyond the outstretched hands of Missouri sophomore defensive specialist Emily Brown to tie the set. From there, LSU seized momentum and used two blocks, including one by Deberg, to come back and take the set.
Deberg rebounded with 9 kills in the second set, which helped LSU cruise to victory once again. With LSU holding onto a 20-14 lead late in the set, Deberg pounced on the opportunity to knock them out for good. She made 4 kills within the final five points, including the set-winning kill, which brought a loud ovation from the home crowd.
Deberg chipped in a kill during LSU’s 8-1 start to the third set. However, her largest impact came in the final six points. With LSU cruising to an 18-10 lead, Deberg attacked the opposite sideline for a kill. Following a quick Missouri point, she responded with a block on Missouri freshman right side hitter Jordan Iliff. On the ensuing possession, Deberg split the defense for her fourth kill of the set to make it 21-11. Over the next four points, she added 2 additional kills and sent Missouri its fifth-straight loss.
Deberg will not return to Columbia this season, but her impact on Missouri will always be remembered. She goes down as one of the Tigers’ greatest volleyball players of recent history and her departure is still felt on Missouri’s young team this season.
Edited by Kyle Pinnell, kpinnell@themaneater.com