University of Missouri
Iowa State
Missouri Volleyball Takes 3-0 Victory From Iowa State
10/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 13, 1999
The Missouri Tigers (8-10, 2-5) finished their four-match homestand with a victory over the Iowa State Cyclones. With the 3-0 win, Missouri is now six wins away from tying the overall series. The series between the two teams now stands at 26-20.
Missouri came out firing, taking the first game 15-4. The same was true of the second game until the Tigers let a 14-9 lead slip away. Iowa State came back to tie the game at 14 before Missouri could muster the 16-14 victory. The Tigers hit just .143 to the .407 clip they had recorded in the first game and had 15 of their 23 total errors in the same game. After the break, Missouri regained its composure, winning game three 15-8.
"We can no longer be up and down. We have to take control and take care of each individual position," coach Disa Johnson said. "We get better every time. We just need to continue making good progress."
Sophomores Krista Johnson, Naaron Branson and Rachael Taylor stepped up big for the Tigers. Johnson came out of her slump with 11 kills, hitting a .500 clip. She also added six block assists, one away from tying her career high. Branson recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 14 kills and 15 digs. Defensively, she tallied three block assists. Taylor had a career night, stepping in for an injured Heather Gerber who was out with a strained left hip flexor. The setter notched new highs in kills (2), attacks (9) and assists (39). She also tied her career high in block assists with two.
"I had to do whatever it took to win the match," Johnson said about coming out of her slump. "I just had to do my job as a middle blocker and (knock some balls down)."
The Tigers travel to Boulder, Colo., for a Saturday match against the Colorado Buffaloes. Colorado will be the first of two ranked teams that Missouri will face in the coming week.
