Ole Miss volleyball to face Missouri in SEC rematch
The Ole Miss volleyball team will face Missouri on Friday at 6 p.m. CT in Oxford. The Rebels (7-5, 1-0 SEC) are returning home for the first time since September 8 to open their SEC home schedule against the Tigers (8-5, 1-0 SEC). The matchup is a rematch of last year’s SEC Tournament, where Ole Miss won a dramatic 3-2 battle in the second round.
The Rebels secured a 3-2 victory over Missouri in the SEC Tournament last November, rallying after losing the first set and overcoming a 2-1 deficit to advance. The series between the teams is competitive, with Missouri holding a 16-12 all-time lead. Despite a 3-0 loss in Columbia last season, Ole Miss has shown resilience, including a notable 3-2 win in the SEC Tournament that season.
Ole Miss is led by libero Cameron Bradley, who tops the SEC with an average of 5.02 digs per set and ranks seventh nationally. Bradley has tallied 221 digs this season and earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Opposite hitter Jorda Crook is nearing 1,000 career kills, with 154 so far this season and 11 kills away from the milestone.
The Rebels recently opened SEC play with a 3-0 sweep of Alabama, holding the Crimson Tide to a -.022 hitting percentage. That marked their first SEC season opener victory since 2023 and their eighth consecutive win over Alabama. Ole Miss has also defeated Northern Arizona, Ohio State, Clemson, and Alabama early in the season.
Missouri, seeking a return to the NCAA Tournament after narrowly missing out last season, features a balanced offense led by sophomore Paige Felder, who has 116 kills. The Tigers’ defense is anchored by Eva Smith, with 52 total blocks, and libero Ainoah Cruz, averaging 4.71 digs per set. The team aims to build on its 8-5 start and its recent SEC win over Vanderbilt.
Ole Miss encourages fans to support the team through the ACE Club and Rebel Rewards programs. Updates on the team are available via their social media channels, including X, Instagram, and Facebook.
Source: Original Article
