Nov. 10, 2000

No. 23 Tigers Go For Season Sweep of Texas
The No. 23 University of Missouri volleyball team (20-5, 11-5 Big 12) looks to rebound from Wednesday's loss to Kansas State as it hosts the 8-15 Texas Longhorns on Saturday. The Tigers currently sit in third place in the Big 12 behind No. 1 Nebraska (23-0, 15-0 Big 12) and K-State (11-4, 17-6 Big 12). After beginning the year 17-2, Mizzou has split its last six matches and find itself in a dogfight for second place in the Big 12 with Kansas State and No. 24 Texas A&M. Two of the keys to the Tiger's success have been efficient hitting and solid blocking. The Tigers are currently ranked No. 7 nationally in hitting percentage hitting at a .287 clip which amazingly is the lowest mark they have been at all year. Mizzou also is at No. 11 in team blocks per game, stuffing 3.17 blocks per game. Mizzou will need to have all facets of their game jiving this weekend as if welcomes a pesky Texas team that is coming off of an emotional five-game win over Arkansas. The Longhorns have won three of their last five matches and have split their last 10. Texas is led by junior outside hitter Kathy Tilson, freshman middle blocker Kathy Hahn, and senior setter Jill Gremmel. Tilson is averaging a team-high 3.58 kills per game and is third on team in digs per game (2.79). Hahn has been an outstanding addition to the Longhorn lineup averageing 3.48 kills per game and a team-high 1.05 blocks per game. UT's all-time assist leader, Gremmel averages 12.59 assists per game while also putting down 1.24 kills per game. The Longhorns will be looking for revenge when they come to the Hearnes on Saturday. On October 4, junior Kristen Johnson led a balanced offensive attack as The Tigers swept UT in Austin (15-12, 15-8, 15-10). Mizzou looks to earn a season sweep of the Longhorns for the first time in school history. The Longhorns own a 8-1 lead in the all-time series.

No. 23 Tigers Fall at Kansas State
Mizzou volleyball team struggles against Wildcats Manhattan, Kan. - The No. 23 University of Missouri volleyball team was held to a season-low .028 hitting percentage and committed 25 attack errors as the Tigers were swept by the Kansas State Wildcats, 15-7, 15-6, 15-11 Wednesday in Manhattan, Kan. Mizzou falls to 20-5 on the year and 11-5 in the Big 12 while K-State improved to 17-6 overall and 11-4 in the Big 12 and extended their 14-match home winning streak. The loss ends the Tiger's latest three-match winning streak. Mizzou never seemed to get into an offensive rhythm with the Wildcats dominating the statistics across the board. KSU outkilled (53-28), outhit (.254-.028) and outdug(47-35) the Tigers in the three game loss. Mizzou was led by sophomore Lisa Morris who put down seven kills and also picked up eight digs. By virtue of Mizzou's loss and Texas A&M's defeat at the hands of No. 1 Nebraska, Kansas State takes sole possession of second place in the Big 12 Conference at 11-4 overall. The Tigers dropped to third place at 11-5, while Texas A&M falls to fourth at 10-5.

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 USA Today/AVCA Top 25 The University of Missouri volleyball team (20-5 overall, 11-5 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.

MU Jumps into Top 30 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 Continue to Flourish Under Kreklows
Mizzou is now 20-5 on the year and 11-5 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 seven 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 3.10 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 .356 hitting percentage while also ranking second on the team in total blocks with 68 total blocks (10 solo / 58 assists). Myers continues to be a presence in the middle, averaging 3.00 kills per game while putting up a .355 hitting percentage. Myers has also proved to be the Tigers "immovable object," recording 115 total blocks (34 solo and 81 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 (347) and attacks (944) while slating 58 blocks on the year. If Morris can maintain her 4.39 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 Nov. 4. Johnson had missed the past three weeks due to an injury to her left knee. She is third on the squad in kills (209) and hitting percentage, hitting a robust .328 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 4,681 assists for her career after her 26-assist performance against Kansas State. 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.

2000 Tiger Tid Bits...
lThe Tigers are 62-19 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 20-5 record this season, their record now stands at an amazing 105-5 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