University of Missouri
Southeast Missouri
Tiger Volleyball Takes Out Otahkians
9/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2001
Columbia, Mo.-Junior Christi Myers recorded her second straight 18-kill match as the University of Missouri volleyball team earned its ninth win of the season on Monday night, dropping the Southeast Missouri Otahkians, 30-14, 27-30, 30-14 and 30-17. The Tigers are now 9-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 while SEMO falls to 5-5 overall and 3-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Mizzou looked as though they were going to make quick work of the Otahkians, jumping out to a 23-10 lead and taking the game, 30-14. However, SEMO would show great resiliency in game two taking leads of 13-8 and 26-21 in route to a 30-27 game win. Southeast limited the Tigers to a .120 hitting percentage in Game 2 and registered a .240 mark.
In Game 3, the Tigers played some of the best volleyball they had all season jumping out to a 10-0 lead. Mizzou would not look back taking the game, 30-14. Senior defensive specialist served sixteen of the Tigers 30 points in the game and finished with two service aces for the match.
Game 4 saw Mizzou take the slightest of leads at 14-13. The Tigers would then blow the game wide open thanks to a 16-4 run to end the game and take the match, 3-1.
Head coach Susan Kreklow said that the Tigers played well at times, but need avoid lapses of intensity that have plagued them so far this season.
"We played very well at times, especially in games one and three," Kreklow said. "But when you are facing a determined squad like SEMO, you have to be able to finish the effort, shut the door and avoid the meltdowns we had like in Game 2 tonight."
Besides Myers, two other Tigers reached double figures in kills. Junior Lisa Morris recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 12 digs while sophomore Mary Lauren Smith equaled her career-high in kills with 13. Senior Naaron Branson played very effectively in the back row picking up a match-high 19 digs while sophomore Chrissy Elder handed out a match-high 55 assists.
The Tigers will return to Big 12 action on Wednesday as they travel to Manhattan, Kansas to take on the Wildcats of Kansas State before returning home to face Oklahoma on Saturday. For ticket information, call 1-800 CAT PAWS or 884-PAWS in Columbia.
