Mizzou volleyball just pulled off one of those comeback wins you gotta see to believe, rallying past Arkansas State 15-25, 25-21, 25-23, 26-24 at the Hearnes Center. Seriously, they looked lost in the first set, hitting a brutal -.034, but then they flipped a switch and found their rhythm when it mattered most. Coach Dawn Sullivan wasn’t sugar-coating it, admitting they “didn’t start the cleanest,” but she saw her team “battle and come together.” And man, did they ever.
Grace O’Reilly and Sierra Dudley Sparked the Turnaround
The real game-changers were Grace O’Reilly and Sierra Dudley, who injected a massive spark for Mizzou playing in their new 6-2 system. Dudley came in during that rough first set and then started the final three, dishing out 36 assists and even adding four kills. O’Reilly was on fire, notching a team-high 13 kills, and you could just see the connection between these two. O’Reilly herself said, “Sierra and I just have a really good connection. I trust her so much, and I know she trusts me as well.” This wasn’t some last-minute gamble either. Sullivan confirmed they’d been training with this 6-2 lineup all week, so it was always the plan. You gotta respect a coach who trusts her game plan and her players, especially when it pays off like this.
From Down and Out to Clutch Comeback Queens
After dropping that abysmal first set, Mizzou didn’t just crawl back, they charged. The second set saw them launch a crucial 4-0 scoring run, powered by two massive service aces from Eva Smith, tying the match at one set apiece. The third set was a nail-biter, ending 25-23, with O’Reilly going off for several key kills to build a 21-16 lead. Arkansas State fought back hard, but Dudley delivered the set-winning kill to keep the momentum. Then came the fourth set, a true gut-check moment. Arkansas State had them down 20-15, but Mizzou absolutely refused to quit, storming back to tie it at 22. Kimani Johnson and Smith teamed up for a huge block to make it 24-24, and then two consecutive Arkansas State attack errors sealed the deal. Dudley’s message after the first set says it all: “We just wanted to focus on ourselves more. We need to play like Mizzou. We need to keep it fast-paced. We need to be scrappy as heck.”
This victory against Arkansas State means a lot, especially after that same squad pushed Mizzou to five sets twice last season. This time, they found a way to finish it in four. Mizzou proved they can overcome serious adversity and play some seriously scrappy volleyball. They’re playing like Mizzou, and that’s exactly what you wanna see moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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