University of Missouri
Southern Illinois
Tigers Make Quick Work of Southern Illinois
10/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2001
Columbia, Mo.- The University of Missouri volleyball team made quick work of the Southern Illinois Salukis on Monday night, sweeping SIU, 30-21, 30-26, 30-22 in just 61 minutes. Mizzou improves to 16-5 on the year and 6-5 in the Big 12 while Southern Illinois falls to 8-13 overall and 3-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Mizzou would use 12 kills, two block solos and three service aces from junior Christi Myers en route to the win. Mizzou head coach Susan Kreklow the Tigers took a very business-like approach into Monday nights match and continued to play with intensity.
"We needed to come out and play well tonight and we did that, especially in Game1 and Game 3," Kreklow said. "The team gave a good effort and we continue to improve."
The Tigers would lead by as many as 11 points and would record a .405 hitting percentage in Game 1, taking the game, 30-22. Game 1 also saw a monumental moment in MU volleyball history. With her kill that gave the Tigers a 15-8 lead, senior Naaron Branson recorded the 1,000th kill of her career. Branson becomes only the second Tiger volleyball player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. She would record nine kills and four digs on the night and now has 1,005 career kills and 1,019 career digs.
Mizzou looked as if it might fall victim to the Game 2 home court curse that has plagued it all year. The Tigers were 4-4 in Game 2s at home coming into the match and were down, 16-19 to open the game. However, Mizzou would regroup and break the jinx going on a 14-7 run to end and take the game, 30-26.
The Salukis would put up a good fight to open Game 3. The two squads would be tied eight times and for the last time at 15-15. The Tigers would then go on a 14-6 run once again recording a sizzling .432 hitting percentage in the game and taking the final stanza, 30-21 and the match, 3-0.
Mizzou used its patented balanced offensive attack with five players recording seven or more kills. Mizzou would record a solid .296 hitting percentage and register their second most service aces of the season with nine service winners. Senior Krista Johnson had a great night putting down seven kills, stuffing four total blocks and slating a .500 hitting percentage.
The Tigers improve to 7-2 in the friendly confines of the Hearnes Center with the win and finish their non-conference regular season schedule with a sparkling 10-0. MU now welcomes No. 2 Nebraska to the Hearnes Center for a mid-week match up on Wednesday night with first serve set for 7 p.m.. The Huskers are 17-1 on the year and are the defending National Champions. For ticket information, call 1 800 CAT PAWS or 884 PAWS in Columbia.
