No. 25 Mizzou upsets No. 5 Florida
COLUMBIA, Mo. - No. 25 Mizzou Volleyball (23-5, 14-2 SEC) moved back atop the Southeastern Conference standings on Sunday with a thrilling 3-2 (25-18, 23-25, 25-15, 21-25, 15-10) victory over No. 5 Florida. The Tigers have now claimed three consecutive wins over a Top 10 nationally ranked Gators team at the Hearnes Center.
Sunday's exciting triumph joins the Tigers' wins in years past over then-No. 9 Florida on Sept. 30, 2015, and then-No. 2 Florida on Oct. 20, 2013.
Mizzou once again controls its own destiny in search of its second SEC championship in the past four seasons. With only two matches left in the regular season, the Tigers can claim a share of the conference title with wins against Georgia (Nov. 23) and Tennessee (Nov. 26) this upcoming week. Mizzou currently joins Florida and Kentucky with two SEC losses this season, but holds head-to-head tiebreakers over both programs.
The Tigers' offense was simply outstanding Sunday afternoon in Mid-Missouri. Overall, Mizzou tallied 71 kills on .331 hitting, led by senior Carly Kan's (Honolulu) sensational individual match. Kan finished with a season high 25 kills on .328 hitting and season high 21 digs. Her outstanding effort marked the Tigers' second 20 kills-20 digs match this season, joining redshirt junior Melanie Crow's (Wildwood, Mo.) memorable match on Sept. 3 against Miami (Ohio).
Additionally, Sunday marked Kan's second career 20-20 match and only Mizzou Volleyball's 21st such match in program history.
Crow was also relentless on offense for the Tigers, recording 20 kills on .341 hitting. Her standout performance against the Gators marked her team-leading fifth 20-plus kill match this year. Overall this past week (Nov. 14-20), Crow was lights out with 42 kills (consecutive 20-plus kill matches) on .352 hitting in two crucial SEC matchups for the Tigers.
All five starting Tigers hit .300 or higher against the Gators this afternoon, as senior Emily Thater (Springfield, Mo.), sophomore Alyssa Munlyn (Suwanee, Ga.) and redshirt junior Kira Larson (Fargo, N.D.) rounded out the terrific individual performances.
Thater posted seven kills on .333 hitting, Munlyn tallied eight kills on .316 hitting with nine total blocks and Larson recorded nine kills on .368 hitting and four total blocks.
Orchestrating the offense for Mizzou on Sunday was junior Courtney Eckenrode (The Woodlands, Texas). The Tiger setter finished with a career high 59 assists and 14 digs, securing her second consecutive double-double and sixth overall double-double this season.
TOP TIGERS
Kan: 25 kills on .328 hitting, 21 digs, 3 assists, 3 total blocks, 26.5 points Crow: 20 kills on .341 hitting, 6 digs, 1 ace, 3 total blocks Munlyn: 8 kills on .316 hitting, 9 total blocks Eckenrode: 59 assists, 2 kills, 14 digs, 1 total block UP NEXT
Mizzou is set for the final week of the 2016 regular season from Nov. 21-26. First, the Tigers travel to Georgia on Wednesday, Nov. 23, for a matchup against the Bulldogs. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) and the match will broadcast live on SEC Network + via WatchESPN.
The Tigers close their regular season on Saturday, Nov. 26, against Tennessee. Saturday evening will mark "Senior Night" at the Hearnes Center, as the program honors Emily Thater, Julia Towler, Carly Kan and Alexa Ethridge. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (CT) with TV designation to be announced soon.