University of Missouri
#12 Kentucky
No. 24 Volleyball Hosts No. 12 Kentucky and Auburn to Wrap Regular Season
11/26/2024 3:19:00 PM | Volleyball
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No. 24 Mizzou (19-7, 10-4 SEC) vs. No. 12 Kentucky (19-7, 13-2 SEC) | vs. Auburn (14-12, 4-11 SEC) |
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Match Information |
Wednesday, Nov. 27 • 7 p.m., CT • Columbia, Mo. • Hearnes Center |
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Match Coverage |
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Match Information |
Saturday, Nov. 30 • 7:30 p.m., CT • Columbia, Mo. • Hearnes Center |
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Match Coverage |
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Match Notes |
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 24 ranked University of Missouri volleyball team (19-7, 10-4 SEC) concludes its 2024 regular season this week with a pair of home matches at the Hearnes Center.
Mizzou will host 2024 SEC Champion and No. 12 Kentucky in a top-25 showdown Wednesday ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. MU then takes on Auburn in a Tiger battle on Senior Night Saturday. Match times are set for 7 p.m., CT and 7:30 p.m., CT, Wednesday and Saturday.
Both matches will be featured on SEC Network+. Casey Roehl and former Mizzou libero Riley Rohler will be on the broadcast Wednesday against Kentucky.
MU is ranked in the top-25 for the third-straight week this season. The Tigers previously received votes four times this season (preseason, Sept. 2, Oct. 28 and now Nov. 4) before breaching the top-25 on Nov. 11.
MU is ranked 23rd this season for RPI (fifth-highest SEC school).
Mizzou welcomed a season-high 6,379 fans to the Hearnes Center Nov. 15 against Florida. It marked the fifth 3,000-plus match in 2024 and is the fourth-highest Mizzou Volleyball crowd in program history and the largest since Nov. 27, 2013 (vs. Arkansas). MU ranks 21st in the nation (fifth in the SEC) for average attendance (3,095) this season.
The Tigers have surpassed their SEC (9) and overall win (18) totals from 2023, when Dawn Sullivan was named SEC Coach of the Year. Mizzou notched its 10th SEC win (19th overall) at Ole Miss, it marked the first double-digit SEC season since 2020 (15 SEC wins).
The Tigers rank first overall in the SEC for assists per set (13.65, second in NCAA) and kills per set (14.48, sixth in NCAA). Mizzou is also first in the SEC for assists (1,365) and kills (1,448). MU is also second in the conference for hitting percentage (.287, 13th in NCAA) and aces (174, 1.74 aces per set, third in SEC).
In league action, Mizzou is first in the SEC for assists (13.53 assists/set, 785) and kills (14.33 kills/set, 831) while ranking second in digs (15.14 digs/set, 878) and third for aces (1.50 aces/set, 87).
Missouri is fourth in the SEC standings with a 10-4 record behind Texas (11-3 SEC), Florida (11-3 SEC), and Kentucky (13-2).
PROMOTIONS
• Celebrate Fansgiving with Mizzou Volleyball on Wednesday.
• Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable items for our Food Drive Wednesday.
• Mizzou will also celebrate its seven seniors Saturday for Senior Night. MU will recognize the careers of Colleen Finney, Mychael Vernon, Jordan Iliff, Morgan Isenberg, Sarah White, Kiaraliz Perez Catala and Naomi Franco following the conclusion of the match.
SERIES HISTORY
• Kentucky leads the all-time series against Mizzou with a record of 16-5.
• The Wildcats won the most recent meeting between the two schools, 3-0, earlier this season in Lexington, Kentucky, on Oct. 6.
• Mizzou last beat Kentucky in 2016 (Nov. 6), a 3-0 win in Lexington.
• Mizzou last beat Kentucky in Columbia, Missouri, on Oct. 23, 2016 (3-2 win).
• Missouri has a 16-3 all-time series lead over Auburn. MU beat Auburn in both 2023 meetings including most recently, 3-1, in Columbia on Nov. 12, 2023, when Auburn was ranked No. 24.
MIZZOU RESUME
• Missouri is 12-6 against AVCA top-100 teams this season and 9-5 against AVCA top-50 teams.
• Mizzou picked up a five-set win over No. 9 Texas Nov. 1 in Austin, Texas, for the Tigers' top-25 win.
• Mizzou went on a nine-match win streak (eight SEC matches) from Oct. 9 to Nov. 10. It marked MU's longest win streak since 2016 (13 matches, nine SEC matches).
MISSISSIPPI TRIP RECAP
• Missouri went 1-1 over its final regular-season road trip competing in the Magnolia State. The Tigers overcame Ole Miss in five before dropping a four-set decision at Mississippi State.
• Four Tigers notched double-doubles in the victory at Ole Miss. It marked the second time in 2024, MU had four double-double performances.
• Colleen Finney added 12 kills on a .360 clip at Mississippi State, just one kill shy of matching her career high. She also had two blocks and two digs. Finney has posted five or more kills in each of the last nine matches and has three double-digit kill matches in 2024.
• Regan Haith rounded out the double-digit attackers at MSU, notching 10 kills (.526) with five blocks. It marked her fifth season-best 10-kill match of the season. She has also posted four or more blocks in each of the last six matches.
• Sierra Dudley has now posted double-digit assists in nine matches this season. She notched 18 and 10 assists over the two road matches.
• Kiaraliz Perez Catala grabbed a season-best 19 digs with a trio of assists at MSU. She has finished in double-digits for digs in each of the last three matches. Perez Catala has six double-digit dig matches in 2024.
• Claire Morrissey tallied a career-best six kills on a .667 hitting percentage over two sets at MSU. She also had a block and a dig.
BLOCK PARTY
• Mizzou has registered 10 or more blocks in each of the last four matches. The 10 blocks are Mizzou's fourth highest total this season.
• MU most recently posted 10 at Mississippi State on Nov. 24.
• The Tigers registered a season-best 11.5 blocks against South Carolina (Nov. 10).
• The block totals are the most for Missouri since notching 12 against Georgia on Nov. 5, 2023.
MARINA CROWNOVER
• Marina Crownover led Mizzou with 68 assists (9.71 assists/set) and 26 digs (3.71 digs/set) as the Tigers split their weekend in Mississippi.
• Crownover tallied 22 assists and 13 digs versus Ole Miss (Nov. 22).
• She then totaled 46 assists with 13 digs at Mississippi State (Nov. 24).
• Crownover has dished out 22 or more assists in each of the last 12 matches. She also now has 10 double-doubles.
• The redshirt sophomore setter recorded 57 assists with seven digs, two kills and an ace as Mizzou hit a season-best during SEC play .378 against Georgia (11/6).
• Crownover registered a career-best 61 assists at Arkansas (Oct. 25). She has compiled eight double-doubles in 2024 over 18 starts (22 total matches, started in all 12 SEC matches).
• Crownover, the three-time SEC Setter of the Week this season, paces the league during SEC matches with 11.59 assists per set (649 assists). Overall, she is second in the SEC with 10.70 assists/set (931 assists, eighth in SEC).
JORDAN ILIFF
• Jordan Iliff has finished in double-digits offensively in 10 of the last 12 matches. In 2024, she has totaled double-digit kills in all but five matches (21 of 26).
• Iliff most recently notched a pair of double-doubles over Mizzou's trip to Mississippi.
• She finished with 16 kills and 14 digs to go with three blocks and a career-high three assists at Ole Miss (Nov. 22). Iliff then posted 14 kills and 12 digs along with two aces and two solo blocks at Mississippi State (Nov. 24).
• Iliff has recorded 61 aces in 2024, which ranks tied for second in Mizzou program history with Yvette Buhlig (61 in 1999). With four more aces, Iliff would become Mizzou's sole single-season leader. Shen Danru registered a program-best 64 aces in 2002.
• Iliff also has 1,162 career kills which ranks 10th all-time in Mizzou program history.
• Iliff notched a Mizzou program-best nine service aces at Texas A&M (Sept. 29) to go with 15 kills and 10 digs.
• Iliff also reached 500 career digs in the match against Georgia (Nov. 6), tallying her 11th double-double of the season with 18 kills (.371) and 12 digs, two aces, a block and an assist
• The St. Louis native competed in her 100th career match as a Missouri Tiger at Arkansas (Oct. 25) and surpassed 1,000 career kills and 100 career aces against Alabama on Oct. 11.
• Iliff ranks first in the SEC (third in the NCAA) with 0.61 aces per set and 61 aces (ninth in the NCAA). In SEC-only matches, she is first in the league with 0.55 aces/set (32 aces).
• She is also sixth in the conference for points (461.5, 4.62 points/set, 10th) and 10th for kills (374, 3.74 kills/set, 12th).
• During league play, Iliff has 4.37 points per set (253.5 points) and is averaging 3.50 kills per set (203 kills).
MYCHAEL VERNON
• Mychael Vernon led Mizzou with 33 kills (3.67 kills/set) with 26 digs (2.89 digs/set) as the Tigers split their weekend in Mississippi.
• Vernon notched 18 kills and 12 digs with two blocks and an ace against Ole Miss (Nov. 22).
• She then registered 15 kills to go with 14 digs and a trio of blocks versus Mississippi State (Nov. 24). She also now has 13 double-doubles.
• Vernon has registered 14 or more kills in each of the last 11 matches.
• Vernon ranks third in the SEC during league play with 4.53 kills per set (263 kills) and fourth with 5.03 points per set (291.5 points). Overall, Vernon is third in the SEC for points (472.5) and total kills (423).
• Vernon notched a career-best 37 kills against Arkansas (Oct. 25) to surpass Paola Ampudia's 35 kills (Oct. 24, 2009, at Kansas) to become MU's single-match program record holder. She also finished with 38.0 points which also is a Mizzou single-match record.
• She was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 30 and has finished in double-digits kills in all but two matches this season (24 of 26).
• Vernon is 12 kills away from 1,500 in her career.
MAYA SANDS
• Maya Sands led Mizzou with 45 digs (5.00 digs/set) and eight assists as the Tigers split their weekend in Mississippi.
• Sands grabbed 24 digs and six assists versus Ole Miss (Nov. 22).
• She then compiled 21 digs and two assists at Mississippi State (Nov. 24) and has now surpassed 1,000 digs at Mizzou (1,421 in her career).
• Sands has totaled 16 or more digs in each of the last five matches. She has also finished with double-digit digs in every match this season.
• Sands ranks second in the SEC during conference play with 4.67 digs per set (271 digs).
Overall, in 2024, she is first in the SEC with 4.67 digs per set and second with 467 total digs.
• Maya Sands' 467 digs this season ranks 10th all-time in Missouri program history.
• The Rock Falls, Illinois, native and 2023 SEC Libero of the Year surpassed 1,000 career digs earlier in the season (vs. NC State, Sept. 1).
VOLLEYBALL SIGNS FIVE FOR NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
• Missouri announced Nov. 14 the signing of five student-athletes for National Signing Day. Maca Lobaglio, Paige Felder, Asia Harvey, Ashley Euston, and Zoey Matias have all inked with the Tigers and will head to Missouri ahead of the 2025 campaign.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• The 2024 campaign marks the second for head coach Dawn Sullivan who led the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2020 as she was selected SEC Coach of the Year this past fall.
• During her first season, Sullivan guided Missouri to an impressive 18-13 mark including a .500 (9-9) record in SEC play, surpassing the Tigers' combined win total from the past two seasons (nine in 2022, five in 2021).
• In SEC play, Missouri went on both three-match and four-match win streaks in 2023, while also securing five wins over top-50 AVCA (based on KPI, Pablo, and RPI rankings) teams and nine wins over top-100 AVCA teams including two ranked wins over Auburn (#23 and #24, Oct. 20 & Nov. 12).
• The eight-win overall improvement from 2022 (nine wins), tied for 12th nationally and ranked second among Power Five institutions.
• Mizzou returns six of seven starters from 2023 including a trio of All-SEC performers in Maya Sands (SEC Libero of the Year), Jordan Iliff and Sierra Dudley. Sands and Iliff also earned AVCA Southeast All-Region recognition.
LOOKING AHEAD
• Mizzou will next watch the 2024 NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, to see the Tigers postseason destination. The show will be broadcasted on ESPN at 5 p.m., CT.
• MU looks to make its 19th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and second-straight postseason berth.
• The First and Second Rounds of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball tournament will be held Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 7.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
• For all the latest information on Mizzou Volleyball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
