Oct. 13, 2000
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The University of Missouri volleyball team takes the trip to Norman, Okla. for the first and only time this season for a Sat., Oct 14 match up with the Sooners. Oklahoma is 6-10 on the year and 1-7 in the Big 12 Conference. The Sooners hold a 31-17 lead in the all-time series, but the Tigers have won two of the last three matches between the two.
After winning their first five matches of the season, the Sooners have fell upon hard times as they have dropped 10 of their last 11 matches. OU has played only three matches at home this season, where they are 1-2. Life on the road has not been any better where the Sooners are 0-7. Like the country of Switzerland, OU has been at its best when playing on a neutral court. The Sooners are 5-1 when not at home or on the road.
Leading the way for OU is senior Kathy Cook, who is averaging 4.58 kills per game and is also second on the squad in total blocks with 38. Senior Holly McMillan has also been solid putting down 2.34 kills per game and leads the team in blocking with 48 total blocks.
The Tigers will make their first road trip without the services of junior Kristen Johnson. Johnson suffered a injury to her left knee in the Tigers 3-1 victory over Kansas on Wed., Oct. 11. Johnson will undergo orthoscopic surgery on the knee today, (Fri., Oct. 13) and she will then be re-evaluated this weekend or early next week.
No. 24 Mizzou Clips Jayhawks
Sophomore Lisa Morris collects fifth double-double of season.
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri volleyball team picked up its 15th win of the season on Wednesday night in front of the second largest crowd in school history (1148). The Tigers prevailed over a pesky Kansas team 15-13, 11-15, 15-12, 15-8 as Mizzou improved to 15-2 on the season and 6-2 in the Big 12.
Sophomore Lisa Morris once again provided the cadence for the Tigers rhythm, pacing Mizzou with 23 kills and 14 digs as she recorded her fifth double-double of the season. Several other Tigers had quality matches including junior Naaron Branson and sophomore Christi Myers. Branson was fantastic as she put down a season-high 19 kills and also had eight digs while sophomore Christi Myers was once again a presence, slamming 15 kills and also collecting a match-high five blocks.
Senior Heather Gerber continued to be solid, handing 55 assists while fellow senior Annette Luyten provided spectacular dig after dig racking up 13 on the night.
Tigers Jump into AVCA Top 25
MU receives 90 votes and a No. 24 ranking
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri volleyball team cracked the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll on Mon., Oct. 9 for the first time in 18 years. The No. 24 Tigers are now 15-2 on the year and 6-2 in the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers are one of three teams from the Big 12 to be ranked including Texas A&M and No. 1 Nebraska.
A Mizzou squad had not been ranked in the AVCA poll since Nov. 1, 1982, when that team was No. 20. The highest rank a Tiger team has reached was the No. 18 slot on Oct. 18, 1982.
Tiger Fans Come Out in Record Numbers
Mizzou played in front of the second largest home crowd in school history in their win on Wed., Oct. 11 over Kansas. A rowdy crowd of 1,148 went through the turnstyles, just 152 fans off of the all-time highest attended match. The Tigers have drawn five of the Top 10 crowds in school history this season and continue to roll through the Big 12 season.
The Unstoppable Force and the Immovable Object Continue To Dominate
Junior Krista Johnson and sophomore Christi Myers have provided a spark at the middle blocker position for the Tigers this season. Krista (KJ) Johnson has been the Tigers ?unstoppable force? recording a team-high .373 hitting percentage while also ranking second on the team in total blocks with 45 (6 solo / 39 assists).
Myers continues to be a presence in the middle averaging 2.93 kills per game while putting up a .367 hitting percentage. Myers has also proved to be the Tigers ?immovable object? recording 80 total blocks (23 solo and 57 assists) on the year.
Branson joins Myers' Block Party
On Sat., Sept. 23, against Baylor there was music (provided by Point Mizzou, the MU Volleyball Pep band), food (provided by concessions stands), and of course, a crowd (776 Tiger faithful to be exact), so sophomore Christi Myers decided to throw a block party. Myers tied the Big 12 single match record with her five solo block performance. She finished the night with 12 total blocks.
Junior Naaron Branson joined the party on Sat., Sept. 30 when she also recorded five block solos in the Tigers three game sweep of No. 24 Kansas State. Branson, Myers, and three other players now share the Big 12 record. Myers leads the Tigers in blocks with 72 on the year (21 block solos / 51 block assists).
Bransons Back, Morris is Marvelous, and Johnson is Just Fine
The outside hitters on the MU squad continue to put up big numbers this season. After a slow start to her 2000 season, junior Naaron Branson has regained her 1999 form. Branson had a huge match against Kansas putting down 19 kills and picking up 8 digs on the night.
Sophomore Lisa Morris must chew Double Mint Gum by Wrigley's. Morris has doubled her excitement recording six double doubles (kills and digs) this season and leads the team with 23 service aces. She leads the team in both kills (221) and attacks (622), while also slating 39 blocks on the year.
Junior Kristen Johnson has also been outstanding thus far for the Tigers. Johnson is now second on the squad in kills (194) and attacks (417). She is third on the team in hitting percentage, hitting a robust .341 on the year.
Home Sweet Hearnes has
Proven to Be Upset Central
The Tigers are now 8-0 in the friendly confines of the Hearnes Center. MU has defeated two ranked opponents (then No. 19 Texas A&M and then No. 24 Kansas State), won the Lathrop & Gage Tiger Invitational, and pulled out a thrilling five-game match over Baylor in front of the hometown crowd.
Gerber With the Assist
Senior setter Heather Gerber claimed the MU all-time career assists title on Fri., Sept. 8, with her 35-assist performance against Morgan State. Gerber now has 4,326 assists for her career after her 55-assist performance against Kansas. The former record of 3,812 assists was held by Cindy Atterberry, who graduated in 1993.
Senior Annette Luyten also continues her climb up the MU record charts and is now in the No. 4 position in the career block/assists category with 221.
The Kreklows Eclipse the Century Mark
Head Coach Susan Kreklow and Associate Head Coach Wayne Kreklow have had great success in their coaching careers. They led Columbia College, an NAIA school here in Columbia, to two straight national championships and accumulated a six-year record of 461-81. In 1998 and 1999, the Cougars went a combined 85-0. In the Tigers Wed., Oct. 11 win over Kansas, the Kreklows picked up their 100th total victory in the past three years.
It is rare for a husband and wife to be coaching the same team with such great success. But the Kreklow's are only one of the two husband-wife tandems on the Tiger staff. Assistant Coaches Deng Yang and Cheng Fung are also married.
Tigers Faced Nebraska's Seventh Woman
The Tiger volleyball team traveled to Nebraska on Sat., Sept. 16., to take on the Huskers at the NU Coliseum in Lincoln. Besides having to face the No. 1 team in the land on their home court, MU witnessed the 15th largest crowd recorded by the AVCA this seasona rowdy 4,167.