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Nov. 6, 2000

No. 23 Tigers and Wildcats Set to Clash in Big 12 Battle
The battle for second place in the Big 12 continues to be anybody's ball game and two of the major contenders for that spot, the Missouri Tigers (20-4 overall, 11-4 Big 12) and the Kansas State Wildcats (16-6, 10-4 Big 12) will face off on Wednesday in Manhattan, Kan. The Tigers are coming off solid wins over Baylor and Texas Tech last week and have won eight of their last 10 matches. Sophomore Lisa Morris had an outstanding week last week, averaging 7.0 kills per game in the two matches and also recorded five service aces. KSU enters Wednesday's match riding high after defeating Texas in Austin in five games (11-15, 12-15, 15-11, 15-8, 15-10). Senior Kelly Branting nearly recorded a triple double in that match putting down 14 kills, digging up 11 digs and recording nine blocks. The Wildcats are 7-3 in their last 10, one of those three losses coming at the hands of the Tigers Sept. 30 in Columbia. In a match that featured 28 total service errors between the two squads, junior Naaron Branson tied a Big 12 record with five solo blocks as the Tigers swept KSU (15-9, 15-13, 17-15). K-State's offensive leader Liz Wegner recorded a match high 19 kills. Since that match, Wegner has continued her outstanding play, averaging 4.94 kills per game and is third on the squad with 49 total blocks. The all-time series between KSU and MU is deadlocked at 26 matches a piece. Before the Tigers' sweep of KSU in September, Mizzou had not beaten the Wildcats since 1993 and had taken only three games in the past 12 matches.

Gerber Named Big 12 Volleyball Athlete of the Week
Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri senior setter Heather Gerber was named the Big 12 volleyball athlete of the week on Monday. Gerber is the second Tiger to receive the honor this season, joining sophomore outside hitter Lisa Morris. Morris was honored on Oct. 16. Gerber tied a Tigers' record for most assists in a three-game match with 63 in the sweep of Texas Tech. She averaged 20.50 assists per game, 2.67 digs and 1.3 kills in MU's wins this past week. Gerber, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native had four kills on seven attempts for a .571 attack average, dished out 60 assists and had five blocks at Baylor on Wednesday, Nov. 1. Along with the 63 assists against the Red Raiders on Saturday, Gerber had four kills on six attempts, a .667 average, and 10 digs. She is currently fourth in the conference, averaging of 14.12 assists per game. She led the Tigers to a .343 hitting percentage for the week.

Mizzou Continues to Climb: Now at No. 23
Tigers receive 245 votes in latest USA Today/AVCA Top 25 The University of Missouri volleyball team (20-4 overall, 11-4 Big 12) climbed one spot in this week's USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll to No. 23. The No. 23 ranking is the highest spot the Tigers have reached in the five consecutive weeks they have appeared in the poll. The five-week stretch is the longest time span the Tigers have been ranked in school history. Mizzou went 2-0 last week sweeping both Baylor (15-11, 15-12, 15-6) and Texas Tech (15-12, 15-10, 15-11). MU continues its busy Big 12 schedule this week as they travel to Kansas State on Wednesday and welcome Texas to Columbia on Saturday. Saturday's match will be played at Rock Bridge High School and is scheduled for 7:00 p.m..

MU Jumps into Top30 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 into the NCAA Top 30 in average home attendance. The Tigers rank 29th averaging 830 fans per home contest and have attracted seven of the top 10 largest home crowds in the programs 27-year history.

Tigers Trounce Tech
Mizzou defeats Red Raiders for first time in school history Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri volleyball team picked up its 20th win of the season Saturday night, sweeping the Texas Tech Red Raiders 15-12, 15-10, 15-11. The victory marks the first time a Tiger team has won 20 matches in a season since 1992. Mizzou improves to 20-4 overall and 11-4 in the Big 12. In what proved to be a very historical night, Mizzou senior Heather Gerber tied Cindy Atterberrry's ('93) MU school record for most assists in a three-game match, handing out 63. Gerber became Mizzou all-time leader in the assist category on Sept. 8 against Morgan State and now has 4,655 career assists. Gerber led the Tigers to a .358 hitting percentage on the night while MU held Tech to just .234. The Tigers also played in front of the second-largest crowd in school history (1,484) and have hosted seven of the largest crowds in MU history this season.

Tigers Continue to Flourish Under Kreklows
Mizzou is now 20-4 on the year and 11-4 in the Big 12 Conference under the tutelage of Head Coach Susan Kreklow and Associate Head Coach Wayne Kreklow. The 20 overall wins are the most by a Tiger team since 1992, when that squad was 22-11. The 11 conference wins are also a record for an MU volleyball team during the program's time in both the Big 8 (1983-95) and the Big 12 (1996-2000). The previous high was seven in 1983 and also in 1984.

2,009-A New Standard in a New Era
Mizzou played in front of the largest home crowd in school history in its loss to No. 1 Nebraska on Wed., Oct 25, 2000. The 2,009 Mizzou Maniacs who walked through the Hearnes Center turnstiles surpassed the former record of 1,350 on Oct. 31, 1997. The Tigers have drawn six of the Top 10 crowds in school history this season and continue to roll through the Big 12 season.

Johns Adjusts
After the injury to junior outside hitter Kristen Johnson, freshman Ashlee Johns is making the transition from her normal middle blocker position to outside hitter. After experiencing some early growing pains, Johns is beginning to come into her own. She is averaging 3.60 kills per game since the promotion and had great night on Oct. 28 against Iowa State when she put down 14 kills and recorded a .600 hitting percentage. Johns then added another solid effort to her developing portfolio registering a career-high 17 kills on Wed., Nov. 4 in the Tigers 3-0 sweep of Baylor.

The Monsters of 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 .365 hitting percentage while also ranking second on the team in total blocks with 64 total blocks (9 solo / 55 assists). Myers continues to be a presence in the middle, averaging 3.04 kills per game while putting up a .364 hitting percentage. Myers has also proved to be the Tigers "immovable object," recording 113 total blocks (33 solo and 80 assists) on the year.

Morris Ties MU Termination Mark
Sophomore Lisa Morris' 24-kill effort in the Tigers 3-0 sweep of Oklahoma Oct. 24 tied an MU record for kills in a three-game match. The Overland Park, Kansas, native shares the distinction with former Tiger Melinda Wrye, who put down 24 kills on Nov. 14, 1992 against SEMO.

Branson joins Myers' Block Party
Against Baylor on Sept. 23, 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 party, a block party to be exact. 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 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).

Getting Up for the Down Ball
With the second half of the Big 12 schedule under way, the Tiger outside hitters will be asked to continue their outstanding production. Sophomore Lisa Morris must chew Wrigley's Double Mint Gum. Morris has doubled her excitement, recording seven double-doubles (kills and digs) this season and leads the team with 30 service aces. She also leads the team in both kills (340) and attacks (910) while slating 54 blocks on the year. If Morris can maintain her 4.47 kills per game average, she will be only the second Tiger in history to average over four kills per game in a single season. Yvette Buhlig set the MU school record when she averaged 4.68 kills per game in 1992. Junior Kristen Johnson made her return to the Tiger lineup and put down seven kills against Texas Tech on Saturday. Johnson had missed the past three weeks due to an injury to her left knee. She is third on the squad in kills (201) and hitting percentage, hitting a robust .336 on the year.

Home Sweet Hearnes has Proven to Be Upset Central
The Tigers are now 11-1 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 has 4,655 assists for her career after her 63-assist performance against Texas Tech. 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 Tiger's win over Kansas on Oct. 11, 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.

2000 Tiger Tid Bits...
lThe Tigers are 62-16 in games. Mizzou's 20 wins doubles the team's win total from a year ago when they went 10-21.

lMU is 2-3 against ranked opponents this season and 0-2 against Top 10 teams. Mizzou has defeated -No.19 Texas A&M (Sept. 13) -No. 24 Kansas State (Sept. 30) And has lost to: -No. 1 Nebraska (9/16) -No. 1 Nebraska (10/25) -No. 25 Texas A&M (10/21)

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 20-4 record this season, their record now stands at an amazing 105-4 in the last three seasons.

Double-Doubles Abound for 2000 Tigers
Below is a list of double-doubles that have been recorded by MU players in 2000.

Lisa Morris

Sept. 2 vs. Arkansas-Little Rock - 12 kills-15 digs

Sept. 2 vs. Oral Roberts - 15 kills-18 digs

Sept. 8 vs. TCU - 16 kills-11 digs

Sept. 9 vs. Marquette - 12 kills-10 digs

Sept. 27 vs. Texas Tech - 29 kills-21 digs

Oct. 11 vs. Kansas - 23 kills-14 digs

Oct. 18 vs. Colorado - 17 kills-10 digs

Christi Myers

Sept. 9 vs. Arkansas State - 11 kills-11 blocks

Sept. 23 vs. Baylor - 13 kills-12 blocks

Sept. 27 vs. Texas Tech - 17 kills-12 digs

Naaron Branson

Sept. 30 vs. Kansas State - 10 kills-10 digs

Nov. 4 vs Texas Tech - 16 kills-15 digs