In just her second week as a Tiger, junior middle blocker Lauren Larkin showed why her arrival from Utah State was one of Missouri’s biggest offseason portal additions.
Larkin anchored the Mizzou attack on Tuesday, putting down a team-high of 14 kills while adding four blocks in the Tigers four-set battle against Oregon. The performance marked her second straight match pacing Mizzou in scoring, picking up right where she left off after leading the Aggies with a .408 hitting percentage last season.
The 6-foot-2 middle served as setter Nina Mandovic’s primary option all night, consistently finding gaps in Oregon’s block. Larkin’s biggest impact came in the opening set, where her fast tempo attacks powered a blistering .565 team hitting percentage that had the Tigers claiming an early 1-0 match lead.
“I think just keep doing what we’re doing,” Larkin said. “And big shot outs to my passers and my setters because I wouldn’t be able to get so many kills without them.”
Larkin was equally active on the defensive side of the net. Her four blocks of the night were second on the squad behind her middle partner Eva Smith, which helped disrupt the Ducks’ high-powered hitters and kept Mizzou within striking distance through each set.
While the Tigers ultimately fell short in four sets, Larkin’s 14-kill performance was just the beginning of what her presence will add to the Missouri offense moving forward.
