Missouri volleyball (2-4) embarks on a trip to Laramie, Wyoming, this weekend for the UniWyo Invite, where they hope to expand upon their recent success.
Missouri’s tournament schedule will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10 against Northwestern (2-4). Later, the Tigers battle UC Santa Barbara (1-6) at 6 p.m. Missouri will close out the UniWyo Invite on Saturday with a matchup against host team Wyoming (5-2) at 7 p.m., which will be streamed on the Mountain West Digital Network.
Missouri coach Joshua Taylor’s squad won their final two games of the Cardinal Classic last weekend against Northern Kentucky and South Dakota, while dropping one game to host team No. 10 Louisville.
The tournament featured a breakout performance by freshman outside hitter Kaylee Cox, who earned SEC Volleyball Freshman of the Week, while becoming the second true freshman to record double-doubles in consecutive matches in the SEC era.
The Tigers’ UniWyo Invite slate will provide high-quality non-conference matchups, which will test the young core and provide meaningful challenges before they dive into their SEC schedule.
In Northwestern, Missouri will face its second Power Five team of the season. Unlike Missouri, the Wildcats only feature three first-years and several upperclassmen, which should give the Tigers reps against an experienced team.
UCSB hails from the Big West Conference, and showcases a young core composed of nine freshmen who displayed strong determination last weekend. After falling behind 2-0, UCSB rallied and took Kansas State to five sets, and then followed that performance by taking a 2-1 advantage over No. 21 Pepperdine. Although the Gauchos ultimately lost both games, their grit should make the matchup with Missouri compelling.
Host team Wyoming brings the best record of the tournament teams with them as they return home. The Cowgirls won back-to-back matches against Jacksonville State and Charleston Southern in the Charleston Southern Invite last weekend. The team features a mix of players from each class and looks to continue their early season success against a tough slate of teams.
The Tigers hope to use the success of the Cardinal Classic to propel them in the UniWyo Invite behind Cox and junior outside hitter Anna Dixon, the latter of whom leads the Tigers with 67 kills and set a career high of 6 blocks last weekend. After picking up its first two wins to end last weekend, Missouri plans to continue building momentum this weekend in Wyoming.
A Look Back Through the Eyes of Tigers Volleyball:
- Missouri is 4-4 all-time versus Northwestern
- The Tigers are 0-1 against UCSB all-time with the only meeting occuring in 1995
- Wyoming holds a 2-1 record against Missouri all-time with the last matchup taking place in 1985.
Edited by Mason Arneson | marneson@themaneater.com
