No. 25 Tigers Look to Topple No. 1 Nebraska
10/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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Tigers Look to Prolong Home Winning Streak Against No. 1 Huskers
The No.25 University of Missouri volleyball team looks to extend its nine-match home winning streak this Wed., Oct. 25 as they welcome No.1 Nebraska to the Hearnes Center. The Tigers, under the direction of first year head coach Susan Kreklow, are now 17-3 and 8-3 in the Big 12 Conference after being swept by No. 25 Texas A & M last Saturday. With just 10 matches remaining on the Big 12 schedule, Mizzou will host five matches and be on the road for five matches.
The Tigers are also hoping to avenge an early season loss to the No.1 Huskers in Lincoln on Sept. 16. The Husker swept the Tigers in three games 15-0, 15-9, 15-3. However, the Tigers have proceeded to go 7-2 since that match and are currently tied for second place in the Big 12 with Kansas State and Texas A & M at 8-3.
The early season dominance by the Huskers over Mizzou was a reflection of the series as Nebraska owns a 51-2-1 advantage overall. The Huskers, who are coached by first year coach John Cook, are 19-0 overall, 11-0 in the Big 12 Conference and are No.1 in the latest AVCA/USA TODAY Coaches Poll. Sophomore Laura Pilikowski has had an outstanding season thus far, averaging 4.24 kills and 2.54 digs per game. Also, sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero has lived up to her preseason co-Big 12 player of the year award status. Not only is she handing out 11.26 assists per game, but she is also putting down 1.79 kills per game and has the Nebraska offense hitting a Big 12-leading .348. as a team.
On Sat., Oct. 21...
No. 25 Texas A & M ends No. 24 Tigers Five Match Winning Streak
College Station, Texas - The University Missouri volleyball squad dropped only the third match in it's last ten as the Texas A & M Aggies defeated the Tigers, 3-0 (16-14, 15-13, and 15-3). The Tigers were limited to a season-low .187 hitting percentage with 28 attack errors while Texas A & M hit a robust .356 on the night. A & M extends its record-setting home winning streak to 27 matches while the Tigers five match winning streak was terminated.
The Tigers took early leads in all three games including a 9-3 advantage in the first game and a 6-2 lead in the second game. In front of 1,204 Texas A & M faithful, the Aggies, who were led by Erin Gibson with 18 kills, answered resoundingly recording six service aces including three by A.D. Achilefu as the Aggies moved to 13-5 overall and 8-3 in the Big 12 Conference.
Mizzou had four players in double figures in kills and was led by junior Naaron Branson, who recorded 15. Sophomore Lisa Morris also had a solid match putting down 14 kills, but hit only .080 on the night. Senior setter Heather Gerber handed out 48 assists and also picked up 10 digs in the loss.
Tumultuous Trips to Texas
The Lone Star State has not been kind to Mizzou this season. Of the three MU losses, two have come in Texas (the 3-0 setback to A&M and a 3-2 loss to Texas Tech on Sept. 28). Mizzou has one trip to Texas remaining on the schedule when they travel to Baylor on Wed., Nov. 1. The lone win in the Lone Star State came on Wed., Oct. 4 when the Tigers swept Texas.
Tigers Hang Tough in AVCA/USA Today Coaches Poll
The University of Missouri Volleyball team remained in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/USA Today Top 25 for the third straight week, dropping to No. 25. The Tigers are now 17-3 on the year and 8-3 in the Big 12 conference. The drop comes after the Tigers, who were at No. 24 for the last two weeks, were swept by the Texas A&M Aggies last Saturday, 16-14, 15-13, 15-3. The Aggies, who were No. 25 jumped to No. 21. Until just three weeks ago, 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 turnstiles, just 152 fans off of the all-time highest attended match. The Tigers have drawn six of the Top 10 crowds in school history this season and continue to roll through the Big 12 season.
The fans just kept on coming for the Tigers next home match as well. 1000 Mizzou Maniacs came to the Hearnes Center to watch the Tigers sweep the Buffaloes of Colorado on Wed., Oct. 18, the fourth largest crowd in MU volleyball history.
KJ and Christi: Monitoring the Middle
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 .368 hitting percentage while also ranking second on the team in total blocks with 56 total blocks (7 solo / 49 assists).
Myers continues to be a presence in the middle averaging 3.06 kills per game while putting up a .366 hitting percentage. Myers has also proved to be the Tigers "immovable object" recording 89 total blocks (25 solo and 64 assists) on the year.
Morris Ties MU Termination Mark
Sophomore Lisa Morris' 24-kill effort on Sat. Oct. 14 in the Tigers 3-0 sweep of Oklahoma tied an MU record for kills in a three game match. The Overland Park, Kansas native now shares the distinction with former Tiger Melinda Wrye, who put down 24 kills on Nov. 14, 1992 against SEMO.
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 82 on the year (23 block solos / 59 block assists).
On the Outside, Looking In
With the second half of the Big 12 schedule underway, the Tiger outside hitters will be asked to continue their outstanding production. The latest example of this trend is the outstanding performance by junior Naaron Branson on Wed., Oct. 18 when Branson put down a 15 kills and picked up seven digs in the Tigers 3-0 loss to Texas A&M.
Sophomore Lisa Morris must chew Double Mint Gum by Wrigley's. Morris has doubled her excitement recording seven double-doubles (kills and digs) this season and leads the team with 26 service aces. She leads the team in both kills (276) and attacks (753), while also slating 43 blocks on the year.
Junior Kristen Johnson has also been outstanding thus far for the Tigers. She is currently rehabbing after an injury to her left knee and is expected to return to the Tiger lineup in approximately three weeks. 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.
With the injury to Johnson, freshman Ashlee Johns has been asked to step out from her middle blocker spot to outside hitter and has been solid. Johns is averaging 2.44 kills per game in 16 games played. She recorded a career-high 12 kills last week in the Tigers 3-0 sweep of Kansas.
Home Sweet Hearnes has Proven to Be Upset Central
The Tigers are now 9-0 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.
Mizzou Jumps into Top 40 in Attendance
Susan and Wayne Kreklow have brought a winning attitude and a new look to Missouri Volleyball. Along with the new attitude, a new interest in the program has taken shape. The proof of this turnaround lies in the Tigers recent jump to No. 31 in average attendance per match. Mizzou is averaging 633 rowdies per match and has attracted six of the top 10 largest crowds in school history.
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 4,468 assists for her career after her 48-assist performance against Texas A & M. 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 19th largest crowd recorded by the AVCA this season-a rowdy 4,167.
Four Tiger Volleyball Matches to Be Broadcast on Radio
Columbia, Mo. - The 17-3 University of Missouri Volleyball Team will have four of its matches broadcast during the remainder of the season. Through the joint efforts of the Premier Marketing Group, Ellis Copy Center, and Missouri Sports Properties, fans of the Tigers will be able to enjoy Tiger action on KWWC 90.5 FM..
Matches included in the package include the Wed., Oct. 11 match up with Kansas, the Wed., Oct. 18 match against the Buffaloes of Colorado, a rematch with No. 1 Nebraska on Wed., Oct. 25, and a Wed., Nov. 22 battle with Oklahoma. All matches are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. central time.
Tiger Tid Bits...
lThe Tigers are 53-13 in games this season. Mizzou's 17 wins this season eclipses the team's win total from a year ago when they went 10-21.
lMU is 2-2 against ranked opponents this season and 0-1 against Top-10 teams beating then No. 19 Texas A&M on Sept. 13, losing to No. 25 Texas A&M on Oct. 21, losing to No. 1 Nebraska on Sept. 16, and defeating No. 24 Kansas State on Sept. 30.
lHead Coach Susan Kreklow and Associate Head Coach Wayne Kreklow were a combined 85-0 in their last two seasons at Columbia College before taking over at Mizzou. With the Tigers 17-3 record this season, their record now stands at an amazing 102-3 in the last three seasons.
