Senior libero Maya Sands turned in a career-best 32 digs as Missouri volleyball defeated South Carolina in four sets (25-23, 24-26, 25-19 and 25-23) on Oct. 24 at the Hearnes Center. The victory marked the Tigers’ third straight win over the Gamecocks and their fifth consecutive regular season win.
Both teams battled through a defensive grind, each finishing with a .233 hitting percentage in the match. Senior outside hitter Caylen Alexander paced the Tigers’ attack with 24 kills and a .396 hitting percentage. Redshirt junior setter Marina Crownover led the passers with 45 assists and added four digs.
Redshirt senior middle blocker Tyrah Ariail, senior middle blocker Regan Haith and redshirt junior right side Kimani Johnson controlled the net for Missouri, each tallying four blocks. Freshman libero Zoey Matias-Lopez chipped in nine digs and a kill, playing her role admirably.
The opening frame set the tone for a tight night of volleyball, featuring 14 ties and seven lead changes. After trailing late, the Tigers pulled ahead with a 4-1 closing run, capped by three consecutive kills from Alexander.
South Carolina responded in a near mirror image with the next set. Missouri built a 24-22 advantage before the Gamecocks stormed back with four straight points, sealing the set at 26-24. Despite the loss, the Tigers’ front line continued to block effectively, with Ariail and Crownover combining on multiple stops.
Missouri found their rhythm in the third and built a commanding six-point lead. Alexander, Ariail and Johnson fueled the offense with powerful swings, while Crownover distributed the ball efficiently across the front row. Three straight blocks from the Tigers’ front line stretched the lead to seven before Alexander finished it off with a kill.
Missouri opened strong in the fourth set but trailed 15-12 midway through. A successful challenge flipped momentum, cutting what could have been a five-point deficit to three. From there, Alexander took over once again, tallying back-to-back kills to close the set and match.
With the victory, head coach Dawn Sullivan improves to 54-29 with the university, 163-67 overall and remains undefeated (4-0) against South Carolina. The Tigers will look to carry their late-October momentum deeper into Southeastern Conference play.
