The Hearnes Center has continued to feel like home for Mizzou volleyball.
On Sunday, the Tigers made sure Vanderbilt felt it, too.
Mizzou opened Southeastern Conference play with a 3-1 victory over Vanderbilt, winning 25-19, 14-25, 25-18, 25-22 to improve to 8-5 on the season and 7-1 at home. The Tigers entered the match looking to respond after a sweep against No. 1 Nebraska, and they did so with a performance that coach Dawn Sullivan said showed exactly what her team needed to do.
“We served really
tough, and got them out of system. We played really good defense,” Sullivan said.
Freshman outside hitter Lydia Stahley helped make that plan work.
Stahley produced a career-high performance in her first SEC match, attacking aggressively throughout the afternoon and repeatedly answering Vanderbilt whenever the Commodores threatened to change the match’s momentum.
“It feels great,” Stahley said. “I just love that so many people around me are so supportive, like my teammates, and it was just really fun and I had to get after it and be aggressive.”
Mizzou did exactly that from the opening whistle.
The Tigers jumped ahead 15-8 in the first set behind strong serving, timely defense and a balanced attack. Stahley delivered two kills during the early surge, while Paige Felder and Lauren Larkin also found success offensively. Nina Mandovic added an ace, and Sierra Dudley and Felder each recorded service aces as Mizzou controlled the pace.
Vanderbilt, which entered the match 9-1, made a late push, cutting the deficit to five, but Mizzou steadied itself and closed the set 25-19.
The second set belonged to the Commodores. Vanderbilt raced to a 10-5 lead and eventually stretched its advantage to 20-10 before taking the set 25-14.
Instead of allowing the match to slip away, Mizzou responded.
The Tigers opened the third set on a 6-3 run and eventually built a 9-4 advantage. Vanderbilt fought back and tied the set at 13-13, but Mizzou regained control late. A 7-0 run pushed the Tigers ahead 23-17, and Mizzou finished the set 25-18.
Stahley continued to be a centerpiece of the offense, while Grace O’Reilly, Felder and Eva Smith provided timely kills and blocks.
The fourth set was a battle.
Mizzou led 8-3 early and later held a 19-16 advantage. Vanderbilt rallied within one at 23-22, forcing the Tigers to find one final response.
They did.
Felder put Mizzou on match point at 24-22 before Dudley stepped to the service line and ended the afternoon with an ace.
For Sullivan, the result was more than just a win in the standings. It was evidence of the work her team had continued to put in through adversity.
“We’ve always believed in what we can do,” Sullivan said. “From the beginning, we knew we were going to have to build early, we knew we were going to face some adversity, and we just had to keep believing and trusting what we were building.”
That belief showed up in front of a home crowd that Sullivan said made the afternoon special.
“It was great to be back at Hearnes. I love playing here. I think our fans are incredible,” Sullivan said. “I just really appreciate everybody coming out and supporting us.”
For Stahley, the breakthrough did not happen overnight. Sullivan said the freshman consistently sought feedback, watched film and worked to make adjustments, whether she was playing or not.
“She’s the one that showed up every week after Washington, whether she’s played or not,” Sullivan said. “She’s watching film. She’s, ‘ok, how do I fix this? What do I need to do here?’”
That work translated into one of the biggest performances of her young career.
And it helped Mizzou begin SEC play by protecting its home floor.
Mizzou’s next SEC opponent is Ole Miss in Oxford on Friday.
