Topeka native leads Kentucky past Missouri Tigers in NCAA Volleyball Championships

The Missouri Tigers ran into a familiar foe in the NCAA Volleyball Championship’s Sweet 16 on Thursday at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.

And for the third time this year — in the match that counted most — the Kentucky Wildcats had Mizzou’s number.

Led by 22 kills from outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye, a sophomore out of Topeka’s Washburn Rural High, No. 11-ranked and third-seeded Kentucky (23-7) eliminated Missouri three sets to one.

Earlier in the week, DeLeye was recognized as the AVCA South Region Player of the Year — an accolade that came on the heels of her being named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

Kentucky on Saturday faces No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Pitt, a 3-2 winner Thursday over No. 14-ranked and fourth-seeded Oregon.

“This place is amazing and my team’s amazing,” DeLeye said in ESPN’s post-match interview. “We really wanted this and it showed.”

Playing in their first Sweet 16 since 2017, the 25th-ranked and seventh-seeded Tigers (22-9) rallied for a third-set victory after falling behind the Wildcats two sets to one.

Kentucky won the first set 25-20, finishing it on a 6-2 run. The second set ended in the same score.

Set three was a different story for MU. The Tigers rattled off a 10-0 run and led 21-12 before closing it out 25-16 to force a fourth set.

Senior right side Jordan Iliff finished the day with 20 kills for Missouri. Outside hitter Mychael Vernon added 11. Redshirt sophomore setter Marina Crownover recorded 37 assists.

The Wildcats also beat the Tigers twice this year during Southeastern Conference regular-season matches.

MU advanced to the regional semifinals with a 3-1 victory over SMU on Friday in Dallas. Before that, the Tigers reached their remarkable ninth straight second-round appearance with a sweep of Texas State.

This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 2:01 PM.