The Missouri Tigers had a special run in their first NCAA tournament under new head coach Dawn Sullivan, but the environment of Devaney proved to be too much. The Nebraska Corn Huskers defended their home court in Lincoln, Nebraska sweeping the Missouri Tigers in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The first point of the matchup went to Nebraska off a service ace by Bergen Riley, who led all players with four service aces on the night. The points just kept coming from Nebraska with Riley having her second ace of the night minutes after her first. This forced Sullivan to call her first time out early, as Nebraska took a dominant 6-0 lead.
As the set progressed, the points went back and forth until a 4-0 scoring run by Nebraska forced Sullivan to take her second time out with her team down 19-11. The size of the Nebraska players looked to be a goliath of a challenge for the Tigers in the first set. Nebraska with a whopping four blocks early on in the first set. After a few entertaining points, the first set concluded with the Nebraska Corn Huskers winning 25-14. The Missouri team had their heads up and looked intent on coming back stronger in the second set.
The first point of the second set came off a botched play and campfire defense from the Tigers, initiating 1-0 Nebraska lead. Nebraska remained focused and kept the lead 7-4 until the star of the game Dilara Gedikoglu scored three straight points bringing the Tigers within striking distance. Nebraska remained on top 11-8. Back and forth, the teams battled until Missouri called a time out, when Nebraska took a lead 17-12 in set 2. The Tigers fought against the Corn Huskers and the Nebraska faithful who were loud, proud and cheering for their team. The second set finished with a service error from Jordan Iliff; Nebraska won the set 25-19.
The start of the third set was electric with the Tigers capturing their first lead of the night coming off a deMarrais kill. The Tigers continued their no quit attitude tied with Nebraska in the third set 5-5. As the media timeout approached, the Missouri Tigers were up 15-14.The Tigers played very close to the lines to rally a comeback. The third set was easily the strongest set of the night for the Tigers forcing Nebraska coach John Cook to call a timeout with the game tied at 18 a piece. Missouri seemed to have found a strategy to combat the pure size of the Corn Huskers, with their pin point shot placement by their outside hitters of Gedikoglu and Demarrais who both recorded five or more kills in the set. As the set progressed with a few crucial kills from Nebraska star Merritt Beason, Sullivan called the Tigers’ final timeout down 23-21. It was much needed with the crowd screaming and the game on the line. After a thrilling third set with 7 lead changes, Nebraska won and moved on to the sweet sixteen winning the third set 25-21 !
The magic season ends for the Missouri Tigers in a 3-0 defeat to the No. 1seeded Nebraska Corn Huskers. The Tigers rallied around their star outside hitter Gedikoglu in her final collegiate volleyball game, but it just wasn’t enough.
Gedikoglu was emotional in the post game interview stating, “I am sad today is my last game here, but I am grateful for this team. It is a very special group, we were more than teammates, we were sisters.”
The phrase ‘play as if it was your last game’ is said a lot throughout sports, but tonight it truly was for both Gedikoglu and Lauren Forbes. Sullivan brought both in to make impacts in their final years of eligibility, and they did that.
Sullivan was vulnerable in saying, “We are a family, and Dilara and Lauren were key aspects in our culture change here.”
For Sullivan and the Tigers, the tournament may be over but the powerhouse they are becoming is just beginning.