Takeaways from volleyball’s spring Mizzou Invitational

The Mizzou volleyball squad wrapped up its outpouring play by hosting nan Mizzou Invitational connected Saturday. The Tigers competed successful 3 matches against SIUE, Kansas City and Saint Louis. Here’s what I learned successful my return to nan Hearnes Center aft getting a preview of (most of) nan 2026 team.

For nan first clip successful nan Dawn Sullivan era, personification different than Maya Sands will beryllium nan superior libero this season. That grant belongs to Evansville transportation Ainoah Cruz. I collapsed down her contributions pinch nan Purple Aces erstwhile she first transferred successful past semester successful this piece.

Cruz looked mighty awesome successful nan Mizzou uniform, controlling serves pinch precision and laying retired connected respective occasions. Plus, she had respective beardown passes to group up kills for Tiger extracurricular hitters. While she’s nan only transportation connected this Missouri squad, you wouldn’t cognize she was caller pinch really good she fresh successful pinch nan remainder of nan team.

This was besides a preview for nan 2nd play of Zoey Matias-Lopez. She picked up correct wherever she near disconnected successful her protect master role. Her service continued to beryllium special, while reference balls from nan different broadside of nan nett highly well.

It appears that defense will proceed to beryllium nan spot of Sullivan’s squad heading into 2026, anchored by nan duo listed above.

With Marina Crownover transferring to Oregon successful nan offseason, this near a awesome opening successful nan starting setter domiciled for nan Tigers. Both Nina Mandovic and Sierra Dudley person spent plentifulness of clip connected nan tribunal successful Sullivan’s system, but this gave nan Mizzou religious its latest look astatine each player.

Mandovic played nan immense mostly of nan game, often looking for illustration nan champion subordinate connected nan floor. Her touch seemed genuinely elite erstwhile it came to some her serves and passing, putting nan Tiger hitters successful cleanable positions to thrust location a kill. Plus, astatine 6-foot-1, her size astatine nan nett was a awesome plus pinch respective solo blocks successful nan crippled against SLU. She moreover managed to thrust location a termination to a thunderous guidance from her team.

Dudley played a comparatively insignificant role, mostly supplemental connected nan work line. She continues to hunt for her spot connected nan squad aft an highly beardown play backmost successful 2023 earlier Crownover’s arrival.

As a full nan setter position seems to person a clear imagination heading into 2026, anchored by immoderate clear offseason advancement from Mandovic.

With nan graduation of players for illustration Caylen Alexander and Janet deMarrais and nary incoming transfers astatine nan OH position, location were plentifulness of questions arsenic to what nan discourtesy would look for illustration this year.

Saturday’s capacity was an encouraging activity of caller air, pinch respective players appearing to make important strides since nan fall. Paige Felder was nan astir awesome violative weapon, starring nan squad successful kills against SLU (by my unsmooth estimate) pinch a patient operation of hard-hit balls and a feathery touch. It seems for illustration she is projected to beryllium nan Tigers’ termination leader adjacent twelvemonth if each goes according to plan.

Maca Lobaglio and Grace O’Reilly were nan superior rotational players astatine correct side, each having respective agleam spots during nan matches. Kimani Johnson was inconsistent but had respective hard-hit kills that showed really overmuch of a momentum-shifter she tin be. Claire Morrissey started retired unsmooth pinch a misread in/out telephone and a work error, earlier responding precocious pinch an ace. Tia Phinezy and freshman Millie Bauer played important roles successful nan mediate blocker position, each contributing respective kills and blocks acknowledgment successful portion to their patient positioning.

As a full it was an awesome first look astatine a squad that is still missing respective of its incoming freshmen, meaning much talent is connected nan way. With what’s shaping up to beryllium an uber-competitive non-conference slate and nan accustomed grind of nan SEC, Mizzou appears poised to caput backmost to nan NCAA Tournament.