(Courtesy Saint Louis Athletics)
The last time Saint Louis and Missouri met on the volleyball court was Sept. 25, 1995 with SLU sweeping the Tigers 3-0 in St. Louis. Tonight in Columbia, the Billikens and Tigers battled for five sets with SLU emerging victorious. Saint Louis has now won each of the past three contests against Mizzou.
Danielle Rygelski had a match high 23 kills and 10 digs and Meredith Boe had a match high 55 assists with 14 digs to earn their fifth and second double-doubles respectively. Anna Church had a match-high 25 digs. Taylor Paulson led the Billikens at the net with a match-high four blocks.
The Tigers got an early start to the first, leading by as many as seven points. However, a late six-point run brought the Billikens within a point at 21-20. Saint Louis tied the game at 25 and an ace from Rygelski followed by a Mizzou attack error gave SLU the opening set 27-25. Rygelski paved the way for the Bills with five points, three digs and an ace in the first.
The Billikens made another late run in set two to draw the score to 23-24, but the Tigers prevailed to capture set two 25-23. Rygelski and Megan Gilbert each had five kills while Church anchored the back row with seven digs.
Saint Louis and Missouri were tied 3-3 early in the third, but SLU led the rest of the way en route to a 25-22 win. Rygelski again led SLU with six kills in the set.
Saint Louis stumbled in the fourth as Mizzou captured the set 25-19. Gilbert led the Billiken offense with four kills.
In the fifth set, SLU opened up the scoring with a block of All-American Carly Kan, setting the tone for the rest of the set. The set was tied as late as 6-6, but a timely four-point run gave the Billikens a 10-6 lead over Mizzou. The Tigers came within one late, but Saint Louis escaped with a 15-11 fifth set win. Rygelski had five more kills in the final set, as the Billikens hit .353 to win the match.
Saint Louis hosts the Billiken Invitational this weekend in Chaifetz Pavilion. SLU hosts Air Force, Canisius and Omaha Sept 12-13.
