University of Missouri
Iowa State
Mizzou Outlasts the Cyclones in Five Sets
10/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri volleyball team (8-6, 2-2 Big 12) won its third-straight match in resuming conference play on Wednesday, defeating Iowa State (9-7, 1-4 Big 12) in an intense five-setter, 25-15, 25-15, 16-25, 22-25, 15-7. Mizzou sophomores Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) and Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China) led with the Tigers with 17 and 16 kills, respectively in the contest. Despite winning the first two sets convincingly, the Tigers could not dispatch the Cyclones until the fifth set.
Klein would finish with a stellar .385 hitting percentage (17-2-39), adding a season-high 16 digs and two aces while Weiwen Wang was also efficient in carrying a .382 (16-3-34) average.
"I think it just comes down to us realizing that we need to protect our home court," said Klein afterwards. "We show our pride and guts and just leave everything out on the court"
Despite being outblocked as a team, 12-5, the Tigers outhit Iowa State .259-.165 and held the Cyclones to a -.033 (5-6-30) strike in the fifth frame.
Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) was a defensive dynamo, leading MU with 24 digs in the match. Megan Wilson (Lincoln, Neb.) added 13 digs on the night as well.
Lei Wang (Shanghai, China) spread a season-high 55 assists, adding a tied-team-high three blocks and two aces.
Iowa State had three with double-digit kill totals with Rachel Hockaday's 15 leading the way. The Cyclones were led in aces by Caitlin Mahoney, with three consecutive aces in the fourth set, and defensively led by Ashley Mass with a conference-season-high 32 digs.
The Tigers capitalized on their energy and several Iowa State errors, never giving up their initial lead, to win the first set 25-15. Mizzou grabbed the early lead in the first set, after four Iowa State errors and kills by Hantouli and Klein. After two consecutive errors, Iowa State was forced to take a timeout; however, their first play out of the timeout was another error, followed by a double block by Wilson and Weiwen Wang, giving Mizzou the 8-2 lead. The Cyclones capitalized on a block and errors by Mizzou to cut the lead to 11-6, but two kills by Megan Wilson gave the Tigers back their momentum. Two kills and two Mizzou errors kept Iowa State in the game, but after two kills by Julianna Klein and one by Weiwen Wang, the Tigers extended their lead 18-11 and Iowa State again took a timeout. Iowa State returned to the game with a double block, but the Tigers quickly followed with three kills for an 8-point lead at 21-13, their largest of the set so far. Mizzou wrapped things up quickly with two kills apiece from Klein and Megan Wilson, and ended the game on two Iowa State violations 25-15.
Mizzou continued their confident run into the second set, with two quick kills and a Lei Wang ace to start the set. After two kills and an ace by Julianna Klein, Iowa State was forced to take a timeout. The Cyclones gained some momentum upon return, with a kill and double block, but two Iowa State errors, a Mizzou kill and a Catie Wilson block brought the Tigers right back into the set with a 10-3 lead. The Cyclones then went on a 4-1 run, but a Klein kill and a kill and ace by Megan Wilson forced Iowa State to call another timeout with the score 14-7. Upon return, both teams committed several errors--Mizzou with three service errors, and Iowa State with four errors. Mizzou wrapped the set up on a kill by Weiwen Wang, with another 25-15 victory.
Iowa State began the third set with vigor, and the Cyclones scored the first kill to give them a short-lived lead for the first time in the match. After four tied scores, Klein emerged with a kill and ace to give the Tigers a 6-5 lead. Her next set was out of bounds, however, and a kill by Iowa State tied the set again. Both teams continued their intense play, and the score tied two more times before a Cyclone error and a Megan Wilson kill gave the Tigers their first lead over one point, at 10-8. An Iowa State block and double block gave them the 12-10 lead and forced a Missouri timeout. Iowa State continued their 6-0 scoring run upon return with two kills, giving them their largest lead so far of the day at 14-10. Mizzou responded with three kills, but after three consecutive Tiger errors Mizzou called a timeout with the score 21-15 Cyclones. The timeout did not bring relief from Mizzou errors, however; upon return, the Tigers had two more consecutive errors. Two kills by Victoria Henson gave the Cyclones the victory, 25-16.
Much like the third set, both teams began set four with strong efforts, leading initially to several tied scores. Two Weiwen Wang kills, kills by Klein and Megan Wilson and an Armendariz ace gave Mizzou the 6-4 lead. A Mizzou service error and two Cyclone kills kept the score tight. After two tied scores, however, a Klein kill gave the Tigers momentum and the lead. Iowa State responded quickly, with two consecutive kills and a block (all by Jen Malcolm) along with a Mizzou error to give them the 13-11 lead, forcing a Mizzou timeout. Iowa State continued their scoring drive after the timeout with three consecutive aces by Caitlin Mahoney for the 16-11 lead. A Lei Wang/Hantouli double block and two Hantouli kills cut Iowa State's lead to 18-16. After two Cyclone errors cut their lead to one, Iowa State called a timeout. Mizzou returned to the game with renewed energy, scoring on a Klein kill to tie the set. Two kills by Iowa State forced Mizzou to call a timeout, after which Iowa State finished the set with four kills to win 25-22.
The fifth and final set of the night (which is only played to 15 points) began quickly with a Lei Wang/Hantouli double block to give Mizzou the first score. After two tied scores, a Klein kill, two Weiwen Wang kills, and two Iowa State errors put Mizzou ahead 7-4 and forced an Iowa State timeout. Upon return, two Megan Wilson kills, an Iowa State error, and Weiwen Wang block gave Mizzou a 7-point lead. An Armendariz ace brought the Tigers to match point, and after a service error a block by Lei Wang gave them the victory, 15-7.
The Tigers travel Saturday to College Station, Texas, to take on Texas A&M (6-8, 1-3 Big 12). Their next home match will be played October 12 against second-ranked Nebraska (12-0, 4-0 Big 12).
-- Molly Hulsey
WEDNESDAY IN THE BIG 12
Baylor def. Colorado, 25-10, 25-14, 25-??
Kansas lost to Kansas State, 25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 25-18, 9-15
Oklahoma lost to Texas, 25-21, 14-25, 20-25, 19-25
Texas Tech lost to Nebraska, 13-25, 23-25, 13-25
Home team is listed first
