After their first loss of the year, Missouri (2-1) volleyball bounced back with a sweep of NC State (1-2) in the Bluejay Invitational, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23.
Missouri and NC State started the first set knotted at 15, as early errors kept the Tigers from pulling away. But the Tigers found a rhythm, leading to a nine-point run to force set point. While the Wolfpack went on a 5-0 run of their own, Missouri closed the set 25-20 thanks to a kill from outside hitter Jordan Iliff. The senior led the way in set one, crushing six kills without a single error. She finished the game with 11 kills plus a .310 hitting percentage.
“Jordan was unreal,” head coach Dawn Sullivan said after the match. “I think she’s learning the power and what she can do on the court. We rely on her a lot, but also we have a lot of really good people around her.”
The Tigers rolled to a two-set lead thanks to a 25-15 win in the second set. Missouri won the error battle 6-1, minimizing mistakes. The superstar of the second set was libero Maya Sands who racked up her 1,000th career kill to get the Tiger faithful fired up. She finished the game with 17 digs, finishing her third-consecutive game with double-digit kills.
“She’s special,” Sullivan said. “She’s just this calming force on the court…just really impressed with who she is as a person, but also the way she’s a great teammate.”
The third set was controlled early by the Tigers, holding a 22-16 lead late in the set. But NC State refused to go away, tying the set with a 6-0 run late. Missouri got back on track to complete the sweep with a 3-1 closing run and a kill from Iliff.
Five separate Tigers recorded seven-plus kills, spreading the offense to keep the Wolfpack on their toes. This included transfers Regan Haith and Mychael Vernon, wasting no time getting involved in the offensive game plan.
Haith showed off for her hometown Nebraska fans, leading the team with four blocks while adding 10 kills on a .471 hitting percentage.
“It’s always fun to see all my loved ones come and support me, so I’m always grateful for it,” Haith said.
The Tigers will hit the road next weekend for the NKU Invitational from Sep. 6-8.