Even though it’s not a conference match, tonight’s match against SIU-Edwardsville will be important to keep the momentum that Mizzou has built up against Kansas and Kansas State rolling into next week’s big matchups at Nebraska and against Texas.
I’ll be liveblogging the whole thing, and stay tuned to see if some newcomers get some action tonight against SIU-E. The Cougars come into this match at just 1-22, with their lone win coming Sept. 19 in five sets against Toledo.
———-
Quick 7-5 lead for Mizzou in the first set. Paola has three kills to lead the team while Rosa has two of her own.
———-
Alright, 14-8 Tigers as SIU-E calls a timeout. It was close early on, but Mizzou has refocused and jumped out to a pretty comfortable lead here.
Also, cool to see former Tiger pitcher and Minnesota Twins 2009 first-round draft pick Kyle Gibson make an appearance today at the match.
———-
19-10 Tigers. Paola just registered her sixth kill of the set.
———-
Seven kills for Ampudia. 22-13 Mizzou.
———-
Jules’ third kill of the set gives Mizzou a 25-16 win in the first set.
———-
I know a lot of the focus in this live blog is going to be on Paola—she’s up to eight kills early in the second set—but that certainly doesn’t mean the rest of the team hasn’t played well. As per usual, Mizzou’s success has been team-wide, from sets/digs/passes/serves and everything in between.
———-
Quick 7-2 lead for Mizzou as SIU-E calls a timeout. Nine kills for Paola.
———-
12-7 Mizzou as Ampudia registers her 10th kill of the match. That makes this the eighth consecutive match in which Paola has had double-digit kills.
———-
Also of note: Kate Harris is in at setter.
It’s 14-14 right now.
———-
19-16 Mizzou. Good to see the Tigers doing a good job battling through this set.
———-
A big kill by Jules (her seventh of the match) followed by a kill by Brimmage gives Mizzou a 25-21 win in the second set.
———-
The third set just got underway with Harris still in at setter along with Wendy at middle blocker.
———-
8-7 Mizzou early in the set. MU is playing very well for having a freshman setter in Harris playing—not a knock against Harris, but it can’t be easy to learn the tendencies and flow of your teammates as a freshman.
———-
It’s now 15-11 Mizzou. Wendy Wang’s been big in this set, picking up five kills so far.
———
Big smile from Kate Harris after she perfectly set up a kill from Amanda Hantouli. 17-13 Mizzou.
——–
20-17 Tigers. Wendy’s up to six kills on the set while Amanda Hantouli has three blocks and three kills on the match.
———-
Mizzou takes the set 25-21 and the match 3-0. Happy Halloween, everybody!
Mizzou VolleyBlog 
All the honors going to Paola Ampudia are great and deserved but it seems to me that she was not played in the first few games after she arrived. I read her advanced public relations and was watching for her at the games. Rosa played but Paola stood on the sidelines for several games. What was that all about? If she had been playing then, she would have no doubt set more records.