No. 25 Mizzou Volleyball Falls to No. 21 Florida in Five Sets

The No. 25 Missouri Tigers made it through four close sets before falling in the fifth.

Missouri Tigers setter Marina Crownover (22), a former Texas Longhorn, bumps the ball during the Longhorns' match-up with the Missouri Tigers at the Gregory Gym in Austin, Nov. 1, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

COLUMBIA, Mo. — No. 25 Missouri volleyball’s nine-game win streak was broken Friday night, falling 3-2 to Florida. The Tigers now fall to 18-6 on the season and 9-3 in the SEC.

Missouri was 4-1 in games that went to the fifth set entering Friday but after two close sets in the middle, the Tigers looked overmatched in the fifth against Florida., falling 15-6. Florida jumped out to a 9-1 lead and three of Missouri's points in the final set came off failed serves from Florida.

The Tigers lived off the energy from the over 6,000 fans in the Hearns Center in the first and fourth set. The 6,379 attendance mark was the fourth-highest in program history. It was the highest mark since November of 2013, the same season the Tigers won its first SEC championship.

But, sets 2 and 3 were highly contested, with the Gators edging out a four-point win in set 2 and a 27-25 win in set 3. The

With a win, Missouri would've shared first place in the SEC with Kentucky.

With the loss, the Tigers will now look to bounce back next Friday at Ole Miss.

How it Happened:

Set 5 (Florida wins 15-6):

9:24 p.m. : A kill by Kennedy Martin secures the set win at 15-6 for Florida, and the match for the Gators.

9:21 p.m. : Missouri calls timeout as the Florida lead is now at 13-5.

9:15 p.m. : It's been all Florida to open the final set, with the Gators jumping out to a 7-2 lead. Missouri head coach Dawn Sullivan challenged the ruling on the previous point, the call stands and Florida keeps the point.

Set 4 (Missouri wins 25-22):

9:06 p.m. : A kill from Colleen Finney to the center of the backcourt gives Missouri set 4, winning 25-22. One final set will decide it all.

9:01 p.m. : Missouri calls a timeout of its own after Florida makes it 22-21, Tigers lead.

8:58 p.m. : Florida calls a timeout as a 4-2 run for Missouri has given the Tigers a 21-19 lead, hoping to extend this game into a fifth set.

Set 3 (Florida wins 27-25):

8:48 p.m. : PA announces an attendance of 6,379 for tonight's game, the fourth highest in program history and the most since 2013.

8:35 p.m. : Remarkable kills first from Mychael Vernon, then from Reagan Haith kept Missouri alive, but an anticlimactic failed set from Marina Crownover gives Florida the set at 27-25. The Gators now lead the game 2-1.

8:30 p.m. : Florida calls timeout as Missouri stays alive after a Colleen Finney kill cuts the Florida lead to 24-22.

8:25 p.m. : Florida has gained some momentum, sitting at a 22-18 lad after a 7-1 run. Missouri calls a timeout as it trails 22-18.

8:15 p.m. : Missouri head coach Dawn Sullivan wins a challenge on a point at the net, followed by a media timeout as the Tigers take a 15-13 lead.

Set 2 (Florida wins 25-21):

7:57 p.m. : Missouri was able to extend the set for one point, but has a spike fall in the backend to give Florida set 2. Tied at one set each.

7:52 p.m. : Florida calls timeout after a kill from Mychael Vernon cuts the Florida lead to 22-19.

7:42 p.m. : Missouri was able to win the first set without much challenge, but the Gators have come to chomp in set 2. After Florida jumped to a 6-2 lead, Missouri now trails 15-13.

Set 1 (Missouri Wins 25-15):

7:27 p.m. : Missouri wins the first set, with Colleen Finney recording the kill on an intense point.

7:23 p.m. : Florida calls its second timeout as Missouri now holds a 22-14 lead. Jordan Iliff currently leading Missouri with four kills.

7:12 p.m. : Missouri has jumped to a 11-6 lead in set 1 before Florida calls its first timeout

• No official attendance number yet, but Missouri seems to have drawn the packed crowd in the Hearnes Center it was hoping for. This place is packed and living and dying on each volley.

Joey Van Zummeren/MizzouOnSI

Starting Lineups:

Missouri

Colleen Finney
Maya Sands
Jordan Iliff
Regan Haith
Kiaral Catala Perez
Mychael Vernon
Marina Crownover

Florida

Jaela Augusta
Emily Canaan
Isabel Martin
Kennedy Martin
Taylor Parks
Elli Mckissock
Alec Rothe

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Missouri's Last Five:

• 3-1 win at Arkansas - Oct. 25
• 3-2 win at Oklahoma - Oct. 27
• 3-2 win at No. 9 Texas - Nov. 1
•3-1 win vs. Georgia - Nov. 6
• 3-0 win vs. South Carolina - Nov. 10

Florida's Last Five:

• 3-1 win vs. Tennessee - Oct. 25
• 3-1 win at Arkansas - Oct. 30
• 3-1 win at Ole Miss - Nov. 3
• 3-0 win vs. Auburn - Nov. 8
• 3-0 win vs. Alabama - Nov. 10