The Eastern Illinois Panthers hosted the University of Missouri Tigers’ volleyball team on Friday afternoon.
This was the second consecutive match between the two teams, with the previous match being played Thursday evening. The Panthers beat the Tigers 3-0 Thursday evening.
After the Tigers scored the opening point of the first set, the set would soon be tied up 4-4.
A Panthers service error would see Eastern go down 4-5 before sophomore middle blocker Kate Dean would tie the teams.
The set continued with both teams trying but failing to secure leads larger than two points.
Later on in the set, the Panthers would challenge a call that originally went in favor of the Tigers. The challenge was successful, which meant that the call was reversed, and the point was awarded to the Panthers which gave them a 14-12 lead.
Following the challenge, junior outside hitter Kaitlyn Flynn would score a kill for the Panthers increasing their lead to three.
The Tigers would go on a surge, holding a lead as big as five points as they won the first set with back-to-back points.
In the second set, both teams once again traded points. The Panthers would challenge a net violation and fail, which marked a turning point in the set.
Immediately following, Dean would record a service ace. Dean slammed down a kill to follow up.
Senior outside hitter Giovanna Larregui López would deliver a kill of her own to mark three straight points for Eastern.
The Panthers would then land another service ace which grazed the net and landed inches in front of the Tigers front line.
The following play, the Tigers send a ball out of bounds, surrendering their fifth straight point making the score 9-2.
The Tigers again sent a ball out of bounds, this time on a serve which made the score 10-2.
Mizzou would answer by going for three consecutive points in response.
Graduate outside/opposite hitter Natalie Mitchem slammed down a kill, and the Panthers would record another service ace to make the score 12-5. The Tigers would respond by closing the gap quickly, by scoring five straight points.
The Panthers would then receive a point from the ball being called out on the Tigers. Mizzou would challenge and be successful marking a sixth point in a row.
Larregui López downed another kill and the Panthers would block an attempted kill by the Tigers to increase the lead to three. That lead would soon come to a close as the Tigers scored three straight to tie the set at 14-14.
Larregui López would score five of the next six points with hard kills over the net. After the last one, the score read 20-17. Sophomore setter Catalina Rochaix would tack on a point as well.
The Panthers then surrendered a point to a service error to make their lead only two points. Dean and Mitchem scored back-to-back to set up match point, and the Tigers sent a ball out of bounds which granted the Panthers the set.
To start off the third set, the Tigers committed a service error but quickly took the lead going up 5-2.
After a block from Dean, and both a kill and service ace from Larregui López, the Panthers tied the set 6-6.
The Tigers then saw a scoring burst of four straight to take the lead. From there, Mizzou kept a four-point lead up until they had twenty points.
The Panthers would attempt to rally late but would lose the set 25-22.
The final set started with the Tigers taking a 3-0 lead.
Senior libero/defensive specialist Christina Martinez Mundo had a service ace and freshman middle blocker Julia Stanev recorded a pair of blocks.
The Panthers would tie the score at 14, but after recording another service ace, they would allow five straight to the Tigers including an ace, making the score 21-16.
Dean ignited a five-point streak for the Panthers which cut the lead to just one.
However, the Tigers would finish out the match from there securing four straight and then recording a game ending block to win their third set and the match, handing the Panthers their first loss on the season.
Larregui López, Dean and Mitchem recorded double digit kills for the Panthers.
Eastern now look to improve their record to 11-1 on Monday, Sept. 18 when they host the Southern Indiana Eagles. The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Lantz Arena.
Maurice Phipps can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
