Missouri volleyball earned a thrilling five-set comeback win over Auburn on Sunday afternoon at the Hearnes Center, battling back after dropping two of the first three sets to claim a 3-2 win (21-25, 26-24, 17-25, 25-19, 15-11).
The Tigers snapped their three-game losing streak in front of an energetic home crowd, led by an explosive, career-high 19-kill performance from outside hitter Paige Felder and a game-changing spark off the bench from Claire Morrissey down the stretch.
“Auburn’s a tough team
to win in five at home,” head coach Dawn Sullivan said. “It’s always been hard to win in five at home, and so, I was very impressed, one with Claire coming off the bench, hitting over .600, and just lighting a fire.”
Cruz anchored the back row all afternoon, racking up a match-high of 26 digs and providing Mizzou’s pin hitters second-chance swings against Auburn’s block.
Grinding through those early sets
Missouri dropped a tightly contested opening set 25-21 as Auburn pulled away late following a 19-19 tie. Lydia Stahley and Kimani Johnson provided early offensive balance for the Tigers, combining for eight kills to keep Mizzou within striking distance before Auburn closed on a 6-2 run.
Set 2 was a much-needed turnaround, as the Tigers battled back in a high-stakes frame to claim a 26-24 win. Felder single-handedly fueled the Tigers’ attack with a massive 10 kills in the set alone. Heavy net play from Tia Phinezy and Grace O’Reilly helped Mizzou fend off late Auburn surges before Felder terminated the final swing to even the match 1-1.
Even in a lopsided 25-17 third-set loss, Mizzou found energy off its bench when sophomore defensive specialist Zoey Matias-Lopez delivered crucial back-row relief with seven total digs on the night, including a pair of diving saves that sparked a late 4-0 run.
Set 4 forces the decider
Mizzou responded to that frustrating third set with its most complete stretch of the afternoon. The Tigers unleashed an immediate 4-0 blitz in Set 4, backed by dominant net play from Phinezy and Morrissey, forcing Auburn into a timeout. Mizzou continued to stretch the lead, building a massive 13-4 advantage following a solo block by Felder and sharp swings from Johnson.
“I think for me, it’s just how bad do they want it, right?” Sullivan said. “And I think that’s when you start to see them really get after it defensively and really impressed with the way they showed up in that [fourth set], one, with the defense, but also just the offensive transition.”
Just as the Tigers seemed ready to cruise into a fifth set, Auburn responded with a 7-0 run, capitalizing on Mizzou errors to shrink the deficit to 15-13.
Maizy Agnello provided the stabilizing force Mizzou needed down the stretch. After taking a quick hit during a play and shaking it off, Agnello stayed on the court to terminate a huge kill at 21-19, breaking Auburn’s momentum. That swing forced consecutive Auburn attack errors, setting up a Johnson kill to lock up the 25-19 set win and force Set 5.
Morrissey and Smith slam the door
When the fifth set arrived, it was Morrissey who completely took over the floor. The junior came off the bench to put together a dominant run, terminating multiple back-to-back swings down the stretch to push Mizzou out to an 11-9 lead. Morrissey finished her afternoon with nine kills on a stellar .615 hitting percentage.
“I feel like these are just the moments that you hope for,” Morrissey said. “And it’s like, why not make the most of it and get after it when you’re given the opportunity?”
Smith delivered a monster solo block at 13-10, forcing an Auburn timeout, before Felder and Auburn traded kills, and Johnson bounced the final swing of the day, sealing the 15-11 set win.
What’s Next
Mizzou will look to build on its momentum later this week as it continues its SEC home stretch against Mississippi State Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Hearnes Center.
