Mizzou volleyball showed two different sides of itself last weekend, struggling to keep pace with No. 5 Florida before responding with a five-set victory against Auburn. The Tigers’ split results offered a glimpse of the progress coach Dawn Sullivan has been looking for, but also showed how much consistency will matter as Southeastern Conference play continues.
After dropping three straight matches, Mizzou bounced back Sunday at Hearnes Center, defeating Auburn in five sets to improve to 9-8 overall
and 2-3 in SEC play. The Tigers will look to build on that momentum Wednesday when they host Mississippi State.
Florida exposes Mizzou’s inconsistencies
Friday’s matchup against Florida presented a difficult challenge for a Mizzou team coming off consecutive SEC road losses. The fifth-ranked Gators entered Columbia riding a 10-match winning streak and quickly showed why they were among the nation’s best, winning the opening set 25-13 behind an effective offense that repeatedly attacked through the middle.
Mizzou struggled to slow Florida’s attack and hit just .118 in the first set. The Tigers responded in the second, however, battling Florida point for point and taking a 24-23 lead on a Paige Felder kill. Florida answered with three consecutive points to win the set 26-24, then dominated the third set 25-13 to complete the sweep.
Sullivan said Florida played a clean match, particularly in reception and attack, while Mizzou showed flashes of its potential without sustaining them throughout the night.
“We just have to be able to feel a little more consistent with what we do,” Sullivan said. “We keep seeing glimpses of it, which I’m really excited about. We just got to keep building on it.”
The Tigers’ struggles began with their serve and reception. Sullivan said Mizzou needed to put more pressure on opponents from the service line and improve its first contact to keep its setters from having to chase passes away from the net. Florida committed 13 service errors, but Mizzou could not consistently capitalize on those mistakes.
Kimani Johnson said the team tried to carry the energy from the second set into the third, reminding teammates that Florida’s strong plays did not have to dictate the rest of the match. Instead, the Gators regained control early in the final set, leaving Mizzou searching for answers.
Tigers respond with a five-set victory
Mizzou’s response against Auburn showed the fight Sullivan had been looking for. The Tigers overcame an inconsistent start and a difficult third set to defeat the Tigers from the Plains, 21-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-19, 15-11, earning their first five-set victory of the season.
Felder led the way with a career-high 19 kills, while Claire Morrissey provided a major spark off the bench. Morrissey hit above .600 and delivered several important kills as Mizzou fought through the fourth and fifth sets. Maizy Agnello also contributed in the rotation as the Tigers found ways to keep the offense moving.
Sullivan praised Morrissey’s ability to enter the match and make an immediate impact, while emphasizing the collective effort that helped Mizzou finish the job.
“I think it’s more just the fight you’re starting to see come from this team,” Sullivan said. “How relentless they’re being on defense, how they’re blocking some balls, how they were just ripping that ball.”
After losing the third set 25-17, Mizzou responded with its strongest stretch of the match. The Tigers established an early lead in the fourth and held off Auburn to force a deciding set. In the fifth, Mizzou made key plays at the net and received timely kills from Morrissey and Felder before closing out the 15-11 victory.
For Felder, the win was especially satisfying after Mizzou lost a five-set match earlier in the week to LSU. She said that earlier defeat provided additional motivation to finish the job against Auburn.
Morrissey also embraced the opportunity to deliver in high-pressure moments, describing the late-match kills as the type of situations players hope to experience.
The victory did not erase the Tigers’ remaining concerns. Sullivan acknowledged that Mizzou still needs to reduce early errors, improve its serving consistency and make more aggressive decisions to push opponents out of system. But the ability to recover after a poor third set offered a positive sign for a team still developing its identity.
Mississippi State presents next test
Mizzou now turns its attention to Mississippi State, which visits Hearnes Center on Wednesday. The matchup gives the Tigers an opportunity to build on their Auburn victory and continue its home consistency sitting at 8-2 at home this season.
The Tigers have seen how difficult it can be to sustain momentum against elite competition. Against Florida, a strong second set was not enough to prevent a sweep. Against Auburn, Mizzou responded to adversity and found a way to win despite dropping two of the first three sets.
Sullivan has stressed that the difference comes down to the team’s habits, from serving aggressively to defending relentlessly and committing to every point. She also praised the team’s conditioning and willingness to keep working through long rallies, areas that helped Mizzou finish Sunday’s match.
The Tigers will need those behaviors again against Mississippi State. With a five-set win finally in hand, Mizzou has a chance to turn Sunday’s comeback into a building block rather than an isolated result.
For Sullivan, the focus remains on continued growth. The Tigers have shown they can compete in stretches against strong opponents, but Wednesday will offer another test of whether they can sustain that level from the opening serve through the final point.
First Serve will return next Monday, and The Fifth Set will be back Friday previewing Mizzou vs Alabama.
