Saturday, August 28
Columbia, Mo.
3:00 PM
Creighton University
3-0
3
at
0
Missouri
0-3
1
2
3
F
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Missouri
21
10
13
0
Kiana Schmitt had nine kills and a block on Saturday.
Photo by: Cassie Florido
Volleyball Sweeps Tigers To Win Mizzou Invitational
8/28/2021 4:43:00 PM | Volleyball
Bluejays start the season 3-0
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Creighton Volleyball team won the Mizzou Invitational with its third consecutive 3-0 sweep of the weekend, taking down host Missouri by a 25-21, 25-10, 25-13 margin.
It's the first time since the 12th Annual Holiday Inn Classic in 2006 that Creighton has swept each of its first three matches of a season, and second time in program history.
"We knew Mizzou was physical so we felt like we needed to keep them out of system and beat them at the small ball, like serve and pass," said Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. "I thought we served and passed well and played good defense. We did some specific scheming against teams and really did an outstanding job of following our game plan, and those are things you like. It was a good opening weekend."
Â
Creighton (3-0) surged to a 5-1 lead to open the match and never trailed in the first set, but it wasn't easy. Creighton appeared in control with a 20-15 lead before Missouri (0-3) embarked on a 5-0 run to tie the score. CU responded with the next two points and eventually closed out the set when Norah Sis and Annika Welty teamed up on a block. Kiana Schmitt had kills on the first two points of the match and led all players with seven kills and .583 hitting in the opening frame, while Kendra Wait had nine assists and nine digs while running the Bluejay offense.
CU faced its lone deficit of the match when it fell behind 3-2 early in the second set, but that was the lone bright spot for the Tigers. The Bluejays countered with a 14-3 run and ran away with the second set to the tune of a 25-10 victory. Norah Sis had five kills in the second set to pace a Bluejay attack that hit .269. Missouri hit .-030 in 33 swings.
Creighton never trailed in the third set, building a 15-11 lead by the mid-point. Missouri would score the next point before Abby Bottomley served up two aces during an 8-0 run that put the Jays ahead comfortably. Creighton hit .462 in the final set.
Wait finished with her second straight double-double to pace the Bluejays, closing her first collegiate weekend with 29 assists, 15 digs, three kills and three blocks to take home MVP honors for the Mizzou Invitational. Sis added 10 kills and nine digs to join her classmate on the All-Tournament Team. Schmitt closed with nine kills on .438 hitting. Creighton finished with 38 kills, seven aces, 51 digs and seven blocks while hitting .245.
Booth was quick to compliment the play of her freshman setter on the defensive side. "She's a libero in a setter jersey. She's a phenomenal defensive player. She gets to balls that normally wouldn't be dug and gets a touch on them."
Anna Dixon owned a match-high 11 kills and added 11 digs to lead Missouri. The Tigers finished with 22 kills, two aces, 44 digs and five blocks while hitting .064 for the afternoon.
Creighton returns to action on Friday at 4 p.m. Central when it heads to Lexington, Ky., for a match against USC in the Bluegrass Battle. CU will also face No. 3 Kentucky and Northern Iowa on Saturday..
NOTES: Creighton improved to 2-0 all-time against Missouri, having also defeated the Tigers in 2004 to win the Quality Inn Tiger Invitational ... Kirsten Bernthal Booth improved to 10-4 against SEC teams (at the time of the match), including four straight victories ... Creighton had seven aces and just four service errors ... Creighton has won 11 of the last 16 tournaments it has appeared in, not counting the NCAA Tournament.
It's the first time since the 12th Annual Holiday Inn Classic in 2006 that Creighton has swept each of its first three matches of a season, and second time in program history.
"We knew Mizzou was physical so we felt like we needed to keep them out of system and beat them at the small ball, like serve and pass," said Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth. "I thought we served and passed well and played good defense. We did some specific scheming against teams and really did an outstanding job of following our game plan, and those are things you like. It was a good opening weekend."
Â
Creighton (3-0) surged to a 5-1 lead to open the match and never trailed in the first set, but it wasn't easy. Creighton appeared in control with a 20-15 lead before Missouri (0-3) embarked on a 5-0 run to tie the score. CU responded with the next two points and eventually closed out the set when Norah Sis and Annika Welty teamed up on a block. Kiana Schmitt had kills on the first two points of the match and led all players with seven kills and .583 hitting in the opening frame, while Kendra Wait had nine assists and nine digs while running the Bluejay offense.
CU faced its lone deficit of the match when it fell behind 3-2 early in the second set, but that was the lone bright spot for the Tigers. The Bluejays countered with a 14-3 run and ran away with the second set to the tune of a 25-10 victory. Norah Sis had five kills in the second set to pace a Bluejay attack that hit .269. Missouri hit .-030 in 33 swings.
Creighton never trailed in the third set, building a 15-11 lead by the mid-point. Missouri would score the next point before Abby Bottomley served up two aces during an 8-0 run that put the Jays ahead comfortably. Creighton hit .462 in the final set.
Wait finished with her second straight double-double to pace the Bluejays, closing her first collegiate weekend with 29 assists, 15 digs, three kills and three blocks to take home MVP honors for the Mizzou Invitational. Sis added 10 kills and nine digs to join her classmate on the All-Tournament Team. Schmitt closed with nine kills on .438 hitting. Creighton finished with 38 kills, seven aces, 51 digs and seven blocks while hitting .245.
Booth was quick to compliment the play of her freshman setter on the defensive side. "She's a libero in a setter jersey. She's a phenomenal defensive player. She gets to balls that normally wouldn't be dug and gets a touch on them."
Anna Dixon owned a match-high 11 kills and added 11 digs to lead Missouri. The Tigers finished with 22 kills, two aces, 44 digs and five blocks while hitting .064 for the afternoon.
Creighton returns to action on Friday at 4 p.m. Central when it heads to Lexington, Ky., for a match against USC in the Bluegrass Battle. CU will also face No. 3 Kentucky and Northern Iowa on Saturday..
NOTES: Creighton improved to 2-0 all-time against Missouri, having also defeated the Tigers in 2004 to win the Quality Inn Tiger Invitational ... Kirsten Bernthal Booth improved to 10-4 against SEC teams (at the time of the match), including four straight victories ... Creighton had seven aces and just four service errors ... Creighton has won 11 of the last 16 tournaments it has appeared in, not counting the NCAA Tournament.
Team Stats
CU
Mizzou
Kills
38
22
Errors
13
16
Attempts
102
94
Hitting %
.245
.064
Points
52.5
29.0
Assists
33
21
Aces
7
2
Blocks
7.5
5.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
3
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
DS
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB/RS
/ VolleyballCreighton Volleyball vs. Nebraska Press Conference - 9/16/25
Monday, September 15
Creighton Volleyball Highlights vs. UNI - 9/14/25
Sunday, September 14
Creighton Volleyball Press Conference vs. UNI - 9/14/25
Sunday, September 14
#18 Creighton Volleyball Highlights vs. Rice - 9/13/25
Saturday, September 13
