Volleyball Falls to Eastern Illinois Thursday

CHARLESTON, Ill. – The University of Missouri Volleyball team (7-3) fell to undefeated Eastern Illinois (10-0) Thursday at Lantz Arena.

The Panthers grabbed the match, 25-22, 25-21, 25-13, to open the two-match series. Mizzou and EIU will conclude the series Friday afternoon at 4 p.m., CT.

FIRST SET (25-22 EIU, EIU leads 1-0)

Eastern Illinois jumped out to a 4-0 lead Thursday that grew to 7-2. 

Three unanswered points by the Panthers pushed the edge to 16-9. 

The Tigers utilized a 5-0 rally to trim the deficit to 20-16 which prompted an EIU timeout. Morgan Isenberg had a hand in four of the points with a pair of kills and two block assists. 

Jordan Iliff then registered a trio of kills on a 4-1 Mizzou run to make the Panthers lead 22-20. 

A rally stopper from Naomi Franco fended off set point, 24-22, before EIU claimed the set on a kill by Natalie Mitchem.

Iliff (.429) and Franco (.667) each tallied four kills in the first frame Thursday. 

SECOND SET (25-21 EIU, EIU leads 2-0)

The Panthers once again started strong, going up 7-3 and bringing on a Mizzou timeout leading 10-6.

Trailing 16-11, the Tigers cut the edge to two (17-15) after a Janet deMarrais kill followed by an Iliff ace. 

EIU widened the advantage to 21-16 as Mizzou would come within two (22-20 and 23-21) after a Panthers service error and a rally stopper from Kimani Johnson. 

Johnson recorded a trio of kills in set #2 on a .400 clip with a dig and a block. 

The Panthers then increased their lead in the match to 2-0 with consecutive kills from Mitchem.

THIRD SET (25-13 EIU, EIU wins 3-0)

In the third stanza, Mizzou took the opening two points off a block assist from Madilyn Sell and Franco followed by a kill from Franco. 

The Panthers then clawed back, pulling ahead 9-4 and growing their advantage to 17-6. 

Mizzou then went on 4-0 run to cut the deficit to 17-10 before EIU secured the match (25-13). 

MATCH NOTES

• Jordan Iliff led the Missouri attack with eight kills to go with three digs, two blocks and an ace. 
• Janet deMarrais added six kills on a .357 hitting percentage with a trio of blocks. She notched three kills in the final set Thursday, swinging at a pace of .500. 
• Naomi Franco finished with five kills on a .364 clip with two blocks and a dig. 
• Morgan Isenberg secured a match-high five blocks to complement four kills (.400).
• Sierra Dudley tallied 15 assists, seven digs and a block.
• Sarah White added six assists and a pair of digs.
• Libero Maya Sands grabbed 12 digs with four assists and an ace. 
• Madilyn Sell recorded a season-high three blocks.
• Mizzou out blocked EIU, 10-7, Friday. 
• Missouri and Eastern Illinois met for the first time since Sept. 14, 2002, (3-0 Mizzou win in Columbia, Missouri). 

UP NEXT 

• Mizzou next wraps its two-match road series with Eastern Illinois Friday. First service is set for 4 p.m., CT at Lantz Arena in Charleston, Illinois.  

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