University of Missouri
UC-Davis
Mizzou Sweeps UC-Davis to Conclude AT&T Invitational
9/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 13, 2008
RENO, Nev. - The Missouri volleyball team (5-4) completed competition in the University of Nevada's AT&T Invitational on Saturday afternoon with a three-set, 25-17, 28-26, 25-15, win over UC-Davis (6-4). The match marked the end of the Tigers' pre-conference tournament swing, as they will open Big 12 play at Oklahoma on Wednesday. Sophomore Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) again led the Tigers with 11 kills on .400 hitting in the match.
Mizzou played its best offensive match of the tournament, notching a .301 hitting percentage and staying steady for each of the three sets. Junior setter Lei Wang grabbed 36 assists in the contest, adding six blocks, eight digs, and two aces.
Junior Amanda Hantouli (Omaha, Neb.) was excellent, tallying 10 kills on .412 hitting to go along with four blocks. Sophomore Catie Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) and junior Lauren Nuckolls (Overland Park, Kan.) also provided offensive depth with eight and seven kills, respectively.
Sophomore Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) notched 11 digs in the match.
The Tigers outblocked the Aggies 11-4.
The Tigers went on attack mode early in the first set, winning 25-17 - its only second first-set win of the season. A balanced attack on a .323 hitting strike made the Tigers the most efficient of the weekend. The Tigers ran the score to 12-6 after three-consecutive Annie Lopez aces that forced UCD's first timeout. Mizzou would go up as much as 22-10 before the Aggies made a last push, scoring a 7-1 run to move the score to 23-17, but a Weiwen Wang kill, followed by a Wang-Wang double block shut the book on the first chapter of the match.
The teams tied most of the way to 10-10 in the second set before Mizzou went on a six-point serving run by Klein that included an ace and a solo block by Nuckolls. UC-Davis scored four-straight kills, starting at 18-12 to comeback within two at 18-16 to force a Mizzou timeout. Although Mizzou score twice in a row, UCD came back with five in a row, scoring four kills an ace to retake the lead at 21-20 to force the Tigers to use their final timeout. Klein scored a big kill to tie the score t 22-22 and that was followed by a Hantouli kill and a Aggie error to give Mizzou set point at 24-22. But, UCD came back with two kills and a block to swing the lead and advantage to 25-24. Klein scored on another kill to tie at 25-25, but UCD scored a kill to make it 26-25 for their second set point. Nuckolls took away the Aggie hopes with two-straight kills and Klein ended the set with a thunderous kill. Mizzou was once again efficient offensively, hitting over .300. Nuckolls led the Tigers with five kills in the set.
Mizzou again used lengthy runs to place them in a positive position. A Weiwen Wang serving run of six points than included two aces pushed the score to 12-7 early to force a UCD timeout. Another run of four for the Tigers containing great all-around play gave Mizzou an 16-8 lead. UC-Davis used its final timeout at 20-13 after Caite Wilson's third kill of the set. The Tigers scored four of the last five points in the set to win, 25-15.
Mizzou will next begin Big 12 play on Wednesday, facing Oklahoma in Norman before hosting its home opener Sunday versus Baylor in a 1 p.m., first serve.
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