Mizzou volleyball straight up *dominated* Wichita State on Saturday, closing out the Mizzou Tournament with a scorching 3-0 sweep. The Tigers never looked back, controlling the entire match and showing everyone they mean business with a decisive 25-19, 25-13, 25-18 victory that just felt inevitable. This team is finding its rhythm, and it’s something to behold.
Total Control From Start to Finish
Honestly, Mizzou found their stride early and just held onto it, playing with a balanced offensive attack that made Wichita State’s defense look completely lost. They finished with a monster .347 hitting percentage while holding their opponent to a measly .177. Talk about stingy! Kimani Johnson set the tone right away in the first set, racking up five kills on six attempts. When Wichita State tried to claw back to 12-11, Ceylin Kuyan and Lauren Larkin shut them down with a block, and Paige Felder sealed the 25-19 set win with a kill. Coach Dawn Sullivan nailed it when she said, “I thought it was a team kind of game tonight, and it was really fun to, one, just kind of see them find their rhythm out there.” They absolutely did.
Turning Up the Pressure Cooker
The second set? Forget about it. Mizzou kicked it off with a 5-0 run and never let Wichita State breathe. Blocks from Larkin, Eva Smith, and Grace O’Reilly just kept extending the lead. Then Ainoah Cruz dropped two service aces late in the set, pushing Mizzou to a dominant 25-13 win. Coach Sullivan highlighted how key their aggressive serving was, forcing Wichita State out of system and keeping them under constant pressure. “We served tough enough, and then once you get a team under pressure, how do we now just keep that ball in where they’re going to continue to feel that pressure?” They answered that question perfectly. In the third set, they kept that efficient play going, leading 15-9 at the media timeout and eventually closing out the sweep. O’Reilly, embracing her increased role, put it simply: “I just have a lot of confidence in this team,” she said. “I know that I can take big rips, and then they’re going to cover me.” That’s the kind of trust that wins games.
Mizzou just showed everyone what they’re capable of with that complete team effort. Kimani Johnson’s mindset before the match? She said, “Honestly, my mindset is just I want to win. We know who we are. We’re the Tigers. We’re going to dominate.” And dominate they did. Now, get ready for their final game of the Mizzou Tournament against FGCU on Sunday at noon. Let’s see if they can keep that momentum rolling!
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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