The Wildcats were ready to play from the first serve to the last point. Kansas State (7-2) came into this game on a five-game winning streak. Before starting this three-game road trip, with Missouri (2-7) being their first test on the road to beat. The Tigers are having a hard time so far this season competing on the same level matching some of these big-time programs with their experience and upperclassman leadership and chemistry. The Wildcats, though, are a very disciplined and well-coached team, but they are still quite young with only two seniors in: redshirt senior Jacque Smith and senior Haley Warner.
In the first set, the Wildcats took command early scoring the opening point by sophomore outside hitter Aliyah Carter, in which Carter didn’t shy away from the moment after setting the momentum for the Wildcats to ride that throughout the game. She contributed 16 kills and 5 blocks in the game. Mizzou fought back, though, not letting the Wildcats get too much of a lead early in this first set. The Tigers answered the call early with a kill by redshirt senior Anna D’Cruz to tie the game up at 1-1. Midway through the set, they found a way to take the lead going up 15-14 on a kill by the right-side hitter freshman Jordan Iliff. The offense just couldn’t get a spark to take the momentum and grow on their lead from the Wildcats. Later in the set, the Wildcats found a way to pull away and had set point 24-20. The Tigers fought back scoring three straight points cutting the lead to 24-23, until the Wildcats finished it off on their fourth set point on a kill by sophomore outside hitter Jayden Nembhard (25-23). The Wildcats took the first set.
Early in the second set, Mizzou took an early lead and wasn’t going to let the Wildcats get off to another great start in this set. They scored the first two points off of two Wildcat errors by Jayden Nembhard and Haley Warner. Then, Haley Warner made another error, which Mizzou capitalized on to lead 6-2. Then up 7-3, Mizzou makes a sub and Anna Dixon, their superstar and leader comes back into the game, which made Kansas State have a look in their eye of aggression that they weren’t going to let the Tigers gain any more momentum and pull away and win the set. After subbing in Dixon, the Wildcats found a way to score three straight points cutting the lead to 7-6. Then, midway through the set, they took the lead going up 11-9 on a kill by redshirt junior middle blocker Kayley Hollywood. Later in the second set, it became a one-point game in favor of the Wildcats 19-18. Mizzou looked to find an answer, but K-State followed with four unanswered points going up 23-18 off of two service aces by Loren Hinkle, a kill by Jayden Nembhard and an attack error by Mizzou’s Jordan Iliff. K-State won the second set 25-20.
Kansas State looked to bring out the broom in the third set and sweep their former Big 12 rivals, getting their first win against the Tigers since 2011. They certainly got off to the fast start they wanted to. The Wildcats went up early 9-3 off a couple kills by Aliyah Carter, Jayden Nembhard, and Kadye Fernholz. Then, midway through the third set, Mizzou went on a 7-1 run tying up the Set at 10-10. Then, it went back and forth before Kansas State put the icing on the cake up 20-19, going on a little run of 5-1 to put their opponents away. K-State won the third set 25-20.
Mizzou will travel to Normal, Ill. losers of their last four contests, to play in the Redbird Classic, with Illinois as their first opponent on Friday Sept. 17. Kansas State, on the other hand, extended its season-long winning streak to six matches. This six-match winning streak is K-State’s longest since winning eight straight in 2018. The Wildcats are 18-13 on the road against the Tigers. K-State also leads the all-time series with the Tigers, 43-33. Their next game is against Weber St. on Friday, Sept. 17.