After a strong 8-3 start to the season, No. 21 Mizzou volleyball gets into the real meat and potatoes of the schedule. Starting later today the Tigers begin SEC play, starting with a challenging road trip
to No. 13 Texas A&M and No. 2 Texas, two of the top three ranked teams in the SEC. So, we’re going to look at both matchups for Mizzou along with one player to watch for the Tigers in this week’s preview.
Gig ‘Em Aggies
Texas A&M (8-2) has lived up to expectations thus far, ranking inside the top 15 in the nation. The Aggies started strong with ranked wins against No. 12 Minnesota, 3-1, and No. 23 Utah, 3-0. A big key to success in both of those games was the offense, as A&M racked up 114 kills with a hitting percentage of .282.
That success has waned ever so slightly with back-to-back losses to No. 11 SMU and No. 9 TCU. When you look at both losses, the Aggies had fewer aces than both of their opponents. For a Mizzou team with an uber-talented serve, that is a place to create some separation against one of the top SEC teams.
Two players who Mizzou has to be mindful of in this match are setter Maddie Waak and middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla. Waak leads the entire SEC in assists per set at 11.53 and ranks third in the conference in overall assists at 415. Texas A&M has a relatively diverse offensive attack, but it all runs through Waak. Cos-Okpalla is a part of that attack, fourth on the team with 74 kills on a ridiculously efficient .492, which is second in the SEC. In addition, Ifenna is a force at the net, totaling 53 blocks, which ranks third in the SEC.
Under head coach Dawn Sullivan, Mizzou holds a 2-1 record against Texas A&M. However, that one loss came on a reverse sweep last year. The Tigers are looking for revenge along with a definitive big road win to start off conference play.
Hook ‘Em
Texas (8-0) has the unique honor as one of three undefeated Power 5 teams left in Division 1. They’ve done it against elite competition, too, with seven ranked wins; five of them coming against current top 10 teams. The Longhorns have racked up the offensive stats in a hurry, totaling 409 kills with a .290 hitting percentage on the season.
Texas doesn’t have any real weaknesses that can be exploited, but the team’s block has been less than stellar compared to the stats. The Longhorns’ opponents have bested them in blocks 74.5 to 65.5. This could be an area to exploit for middle blockers Regan Haith and Tyrah Ariail.
The top player Mizzou needs to watch out for is Pitt transfer Torey Stafford. At Pitt, Stafford earned a spot on the AVCA All-American First Team as a sophomore. She has picked up right where she left off with 120 kills through eight matches thus far. She will draw a major amount of attention from the Mizzou block and defensive positioning.
The Tigers upset Texas last year in Austin in a major turning point in the year. However, this puts a major target on Mizzou’s back, as I’m sure the Longhorns will be looking for revenge.
Player Spotlight: Marina Crownover
Crownover is in her second year as the Mizzou setter after transferring over from Texas, where she spent two years. However as an underclassman she saw very limited playing time. Last year’s Texas game was a huge moment for her, securing the win over her old team.
Crownover had a particularly strong weekend at the Leatherneck Invitational, putting up a double-double against Valparaiso with 40 assists and 12 digs. She had a much quieter and limited performance against Chicago State and Western Illinois, combining for 26 assists and seven service aces across the two matches.
She ranks seventh in the SEC in assists per set at 9.41. In addition, she is 10th in the conference with 17 service aces and leads Mizzou outright.
Crownover will need to help lead a Mizzou offense that is still waiting for a breakout performance. The Tigers will need to be at its best against these two top 15 teams. The Tigers open SEC play at 6 p.m. tonight at Texas A&M. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
