University of Missouri
Texas Tech
Volleyball Strong in Sweep at Texas Tech
9/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Missouri volleyball team (6-6, 1-2 Big 12) played its best match of the season-to-date on Wednesday with a quick 25-18, 26-24, 25-15 sweep of Texas Tech (5-9, 0-3 Big 12) in Lubbock, Texas. With a season-high .337 team hitting percentage, sophomore Weiwen Wang (Nanjing, China) led the Tigers with 11 kills, with only one error, adding a match-high six blocks. The Tigers won the first set convincingly, 25-18, with a heavy offensive strike, but had to come back from 20-13 down, with a 13-4 run, to win the second set 26-24.
Mizzou won the third set with a .536 team hitting total, committing only two errors thanks to a strong foundation of serve reception.
Sophomore Julianna Klein had nine kills, adding two service aces. Junior Megan Wilson scored on eight kills and two blocks. Freshman Brittany Brimmage came off the bench to score six kills on .500 hitting, adding two blocks.
Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Caitlyn Vann had 17 digs and added an ace. Sophomore Lei Wang spread 33 assists while adding four blocks and five digs.
Texas Tech was led by Amanda Dowdy's 13 kills.
Despite an auspicious start, that included a first-serve ace by Texas Tech, the Tigers nearly were free of unforced errors, hitting .355 as a team in the frame to win 25-18. After the Red Raider 2-0 start, a Caitlyn Vann four-point service run that included three total kills - two by Weiwen Wang - sent a message on how Mizzou would produce offensively in the set. The Tigers had an 11-8 lead when the rotation came back to Vann's serve where a Hantouli kill, followed by a Wang-Wang double block and a kill by Weiwen gave Mizzou a six-point lead at 14-8. A Lei Wang service ace to make the score 16-11 forced TTU to a timeout. Mizzou would spread the lead to eight, making the score 20-12, after another Weiwen Wang kill. Texas Tech stormed back with five-straight to pull within three at 20-17 to force a Tiger timeout. Mizzou responded with four-straight kills from four different attackers to force a set point at 24-17 and after a Tech sideout and subsequent service error took the frame, 25-18. Weiwen Wang went errorless in the set, notching seven kills as a result.
The second frame had some odd moments. Mizzou struggled on the backline early, causing unforced errors for the offensive system and fell quickly to a 6-1 deficit before calling a timeout. The negative trend continued for MU as they went down 17-10, and even after two-straight aces by Klein, still was down seven at 20-13. The Tigers then strung together runs of all kills and blocks, totaling three and five points each, to tie the score at 22-22. The five-point run at 22-17 started with a red card charged to the Red Raiders because of a substitution violation and Mizzou took advantage. Tech would have a chance at set point after a Brandi Hood kill, but a Tech attack error tied the score at 24-24. A double-block by frosh Brittany Brimmage coming off the bench and Weiwen Wang gave MU a 25-24 advantage. Tech was unable to get a good set on the next point to give the set to the Tigers.
Mizzou had a solid third set, scoring the frame's first three points and never looking back to win the match with a 25-15 set win.
The Tigers will complete its non-conference portion of the 2008 schedule with a Saturday contest versus SIU-Edwardsville in Hearnes Center, starting at 6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY IN THE BIG 12
Texas def. Iowa State, 25-19, 27-25, 27-25
Texas A&M lost to Kansas State, 23-25, 18-25, 20-25
Baylor def. Oklahoma, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-13
Nebraska def. Kansas, 25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-15
Home team listed first
