Missouri volleyball picked up its fifth consecutive Southeastern Conference win as it defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in four sets. The Tigers improved to 15-7 on the year and 6-4 in conference play.
Senior outside hitter Caylen Alexander put together another big time performance, racking up 22 kills on the day. Freshman right side Maca Lobaglio stepped up with multiple timely kills – eight total on the day.
Georgia got off to a strong start set one, claiming a 12-8 lead against the Tigers. The Bulldogs then recorded four straight errors, followed by a kill from Alexander to put Missouri up 13-12. The Tigers went on another run just a few points later, started by back-to-back kills from Alexander, which extended the lead to 17-14. The Bulldogs battled back and tied the score at 21-21, but costly errors down the stretch allowed Missouri to win the set 25-22.
Similar to the first set, it was a back and forth affair to begin the second set. Kills from Alexander and Lobaglio put the Tigers up 10-7. until the Bulldogs answered with a 6-1 scoring run, taking a one-point lead going into the back half of the set. Missouri took a late 22-21 lead, but two kills from Georgia’s junior outside hitter Bianna Muoneke knotted the match 1-1.
Redshirt senior middle Tyrah Ariail got the Tigers going in set three, recording back-to-back kills to get the scoring going for Missouri. Georgia was forced to use an early timeout after falling behind 6-1. The timeout from Georgia did not slow the Tigers down, as their lead grew to 12 points after a kill from Alexander to make the score 22-10. The Bulldogs showed minor signs of life with a late 4-1 scoring run but it was not enough to overcome the 12-point deficit.
The blowout win by Missouri in the third set proved to be an outlier as the back-and-forth style came back in the fourth set. The Tigers jumped out to a 12-8 lead after a kill from Ariail. Missouri seemed to be in control late in the set with a 22-19 lead, but the Bulldogs responded with a 5-0 scoring run, putting them ahead 24-22. Alexander responded with three straight kills, helping put the Bulldogs away with a final score of 26-24.
The Tigers will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee, Oct. 31 for a road matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers. Missouri will look to add to its conference streak and improve on its 6-4 record. The Tigers currently are tied for sixth in the SEC Standings.
