Missouri volleyball looked stellar as the Tigers cruised to a 3-0 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs Friday. The energy in the Hearnes Center thumped from the very first second. Missouri entered set 1 guns blazing with many kills and high energy prowess.
A few early kills from outside hitter Dilara Gedikoglu and middle blocker Colleen Finney pushed Missouri out in front to take a commanding lead. This trend continued through the entire set, surging the Tigers to a decisive 25-15 set 1 win.
With a bit more fight from the Bulldogs, set 2 showcased more grit, with scores being tight for the majority of the set. The Tigers never put their head down and with smiles on each player’s face, started to pull away from Mississippi State’s antics. Captain Jordan Iliff did what she does best and pulled off some athletic attacks that translated to Missouri points. After some defensive plays from libero Maya Sands, the momentum shifted completely in favor of the Tigers. Two forceful kills from Gedikoglu helped Missouri take the second set.
A slow start for Missouri came with the start of the third set as Mississippi State stayed in the rearview mirror. But some graceful digs from Sands led to more scoring opportunities for the Tigers as Iliff took over for a mid-set run. As the third set started to come to a close, the fans in Hearnes didn’t settle down. The Tigers fed off of the crowd’s energy and finished the job in convincing fashion, finishing the match 3-0.
Iliff headlined the box score with a game-high 15 kills in 21 total attempts and 13 digs. Missouri’s 48 digs to Mississippi State’s 30 gave the triumphant Tigers more attacking chances. Missouri’s 52 kills proved too much for the Bulldogs to handle as the Tigers rushed to victory. Missouri (14-9, 6-6) hosts Georgia Sunday.