Oct. 19, 2001
Mizzou Looks to Extend Winning Streak, Face Texas A&M on Saturday
The University of Missouri volleyball team will begin its second tour through the Big 12 on Saturday when it travels to College Station, Texas, to take on No. 17 Texas A&M. The Tigers look to extend their current winning streak to five matches but it will not be easy as they face an Aggie team that has won three of their last four matches and sport a 13-3 overall record and a 6-2 Big 12 mark. The latest win in the Tiger's streak was a 3-1 win over No. 20 Colorado on Wednesday night. Mizzou has won two of its last three over the Buffaloes and picked up its first win over a Top 25 team on Wednesday. The Tigers face a gauntlet in the next five days including matches with A&M on Saturday, Southern Illinois on Monday and No. 2 Nebraska on Wednesday. The Tigers have faced all three teams earlier this season and have slated a 1-2 record against those three schools.
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A Look at the Aggies
The Texas A&M Aggies were ranked No. 17 in the latest AVCA/USAToday Coaches poll that was released on Monday. After falling to No. 2 Nebraska last Sunday, 3-1, the Aggies rebounded and took out Kansas in Lawrence last Wednesday, 3-1. Senior setter Jenna Moscovic, who leads the team in hitting percentage (.354) and assists (759), recorded a triple-double against the Jayhawks by putting down 12 kills, handing out 56 assists while picking up 17 digs. Mosovic has recorded five triple-doubles over the course of her four-year career at TAMU including a 10 kill, 63 assist, 16 dig effort against the Tigers on the 22nd of September.
Missouri vs. No. 17 Texas A&M Match #20 * Oct. 20, 2001 * College Station, Texas. Participants: Missouri (15-4 overall, 6-4 in the Big 12 Conf.) Texas A&M (13-3 overall, 6-2 in the Big 12 Conf.) Start Times: Oct. 20 Match set for 7 p.m. CST Series Info: TAMU leads, 12-2 Last Meeting: TAMU wins, 3-2 in Columbia, Mo. (9/22/01) For More Info: MU-www.mutigers.com TAMU-www.tamu.edu/sports Coaches: Missouri: Susan Kreklow (SW Missouri State '84) 39-11 at MU (2nd season) 548-121 overall (11th seasons)TAMU: Laurie Corbelli (San Fransisco '88) 202-72 at TAMU (9th season) 302-178 overall (16th season)
Outside hitters Michelle Cole and Erin Lechler help Mosovic lead the offensive charge for the Aggies. Cole averages 3.09 kills per game and 3.95 digs per game while Lechler leads the team in kills (213) and is second on the squad in service aces with 20. The Aggies lead the all-time series with Mizzou, 12-2. Mizzou did split the season series with A&M last year but dropped a five-game thriller in September to the Aggies in Columbia.
Tigers Volleyball Changes Start Time of KU Match
The start of the University of Missouri volleyball team's match against the University of Kansas, which is set for Nov. 3, has been rescheduled, announced today by the MU Athletic Department. Instead of starting at 7 p.m., first serve will be at 7:30 pm in the Hearnes Center. For ticket information on all Tiger home volleyball matches, call 1-800 CAT PAWS or 884-PAWS in Columbia.
Closing In On History
Senior Naaron Branson has definitely made her mark on the MU volleyball program during her four-year tenure. Branson is on pace to become only the second player in MU volleyball history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for her career. She needs five digs and 18 kills the rest of the season to accomplish the feat. The other Tiger in the 1,000 kill-1,000 dig club is Yvette Buhlig (88-90, 92) who is the all-time leader in both catergories with 1,478 kills and 1,149 digs for her career.
Branson currently leads the squad in digs (220) and digs per game (3.24). She has had two huge matches the last two times out for Mizzou. A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Branson put down a personal season-best 21 kills and picked up a career-high 22 digs in the Tigers' five-game win against Texas, and tied a career-high with 22 kills in the Tigers upset win over Colorado on Wednesday.
All Time Kills List 1. Yvette Buhlig (88-90, 92) 1,478 2. Jodi Maune (95-98) 1,147 3. Renee Rosinski (95-98) 1,049 4. Sherri Gentry (86, 88-90) 1,030 5. Naaron Branson (98- ) 982 6. Sharon Zaehringer (84-87) 929 7. Gwen Mullens (91-94) 927 8. Melinda Wrye (90-92) 906 9. Margaret Yanics (84-86, 88) 902 10. Annette Luyten (97-00) 896 Lisa Morris (99- ) 862All-Time Digs List 1. Yvette Buhlig (88-90, 92) 1,149 2. Gwen Mullens (91-94) 1,103 3. Margaret Yanics (84-86, 88) 1,038 4. Chandra Hopkins (95-98) 1,033 5. Annette Luyten (97-00) 996 6. Naaron Branson (98- ) 995 7. Sherri Gentry (86, 88-90) 972 8. Cindy Atteberry (90-93) 920 9. Stacy Harris (84-87) 859 10. Melinda Wrye (90-92) 845
Coming Up Aces
The Tigers are averaging 6.32 aces per match so far this season. Several Tigers have really picked it up from the service line. Junior Lisa Morris leads the team in service aces with 25 and has averaged two service aces per match over the past five matches. Senior Rachael Taylor has also been hot recording nine service winners in the past four matches while sophomore Chrissy Elder has gone in spurts, slating three service aces against Southern Illinois and Texas and a career-high four against Oklahoma last month.
Business is Starting to Pick Up
The Tigers are one of the most efficient teams in the Big 12. After seeing its team hitting percentage drop to .250 following the Baylor match last Saturday, Mizzou used two +.400 efforts (.433 against Iowa State and .403 against UMKC) to raise the percentage to .263 after the UMKC match. Despite hitting .188 and .240 the last two matches, the Tigers currently sport a mark of .257, still good enough for second in the Big 12.
Tracking the Tigers
Last Time Out...
Tigers Upset No. 20 Colorado, 3-1
Columbia, Mo..- The University of Missouri volleyball team used eight service aces and 12 total team blocks to upset No. 20 Colorado, 3-1 (30-26, 18-30, 30-23, 30-22) in Columbia on Wednesday night in the Hearnes Center. The Tigers have now won four straight matches and six of their last eight. The win is also the Tigers first over a Top 25 team this season. The Tigers improve to 15-4 overall and 6-4 in the Big 12 conference while CU falls to 11-5 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12.
The Tigers and Buffaloes would open Game 1 in a 12-12 tie. Tough serving from Lisa Morris and Rachael Taylor would spark an 8-2 Mizzou run, forcing a Colorado timeout. Mizzou would go on to lead by as many as seven, 26-19, and hold off a late CU charge taking the game, 30-26. Morris would record six of her 14 kills on the night in the game and recorded a .444 hitting percentage. However, the Buffaloes would absolutely dominate Game 2, hitting .586 and limiting MU to a .152 percentage taking the game, 30-18. CU would lead by as many as 12 points during the game and were sparked by middle blocker Monique Gerlach, who put down nine of her 14 kills in the game.
Mizzou looked destine to experience the same fate in Game 3 it had in Game 2. CU would take an early 2-6 lead prompting a MU timeout. However, the Tigers would then go on a 15-5 run to take a 17-11 lead. The Buffs would battle back to as close as 17-14, but the Tigers continued to hold the Buffaloes in check and closed the game with a 13-9 run taking the game 30-23.
The two squads would be tied 14 times in Game 4 and for the last time at 19-19. The Tigers were then sparked by the gutsy play of Morris who put down a big kill at 22-19 and a big dig at 23-19 going on a 6-1 run to take a 26-20 lead. Mizzou would go on to take the stanza, 30-22 and the match, 3-1.
Senior Naaron Branson continued her sparkling play on Wednesday putting down 22 kills, which equals a career-high, and picked up seven digs on the evening. Branson now needs just 18 kills and five digs to become only the second Tiger in school history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs over the course of her career. Branson committed only four errors on 33 attacks good for a .545 hitting percentage while also recording four block assists. Over the past three matches, she has averaged 16.67 kills per match. Morris recorded her eighth double-double of the season with her 14 kills and 10 digs while setter Chrissy Elder handed out 48 assists, picked up six digs and stuffed a career-best five block assists in the win. Myers also had a solid night putting down 13 kills, picking up eight digs and recording an impressive seven total blocks
Defensive Juggernauts
The Tigers continue to be one of the best defensive teams in the Big 12. Mizzou has limited its 2001 opponents to a cumulative .165 hitting percentage, second only to Nebraska, which has held its opponents to a .101 mark. Mizzou currently stands second in total blocks in the Big 12 (174.0) and leads the Big 12 in total digs (1,190).
Two of the key elements to the Tigers successful defense are the blocking of middle blocker Christi Myers and the digging of outside hitter Naaron Branson. Myers currently ranks third in blocks per game in the Big 12 (1.33) and leads the league in block solos (18). Branson is ninth in the digs per game category (3.24) but is second in total digs (220).
The Tale of the Tape MU vs. TAMU Kills 1127 2515 Kills per gm. 15.9 17.36 Errors 393 396 Attacks 2856 2515 Hitting % .257 .250 Assists 976 941 Aces 120 115 Digs 1190 1056 Block solo 44 35 Block assists 260 186 Blocks/gm 2.5 2.17
Movin' On Up
Movin' On Up is a phrase made popular in the late '70s and early '80s by the classic sitcom "The Jeffersons." Moving on up is exactly what several Tigers are doing on the career MU record charts. Junior Lisa Morris is currently in the second position on the kills per game list (3.60 kpg) and also ranks eighth on the career digs per game chart (2.53 dpg).
The two Tiger middles are also assaulting the career blocks and hitting percentage charts as we speak or you read and I write. Junior Christi Myers currently sports the second highest career hitting percentage in school history (.306) while senior Krista Johnson ranks fourth on that chart (.278). Myers has also jumped into the Top 5 on the career block solos (68), total blocks (290) and blocks per game (1.09).
You Are Cordially Invited...
The University of Missouri volleyball squad is ranked 26th in the nation according to average attendance, it was announced on Monday. The Tigers are averaging 1,016 fans per home contest and have hosted three of the top 10 largest crowds in MU history this season. Below is a list of the Top 10 MU crowds in volleyball.
Win Game 1 and It's DoneMissouri Volleyball Top Ten Attendance Marks Date Opponent Att. 1) Oct. 25, 2000 Nebraska 2,009 2) Oct. 6, 2001 Baylor 1,823 3) Nov. 4, 2000 Texas Tech 1,484 4) Sept. 29, 2001 Oklahoma 1,416 5) Oct. 31, 1997 Colorado 1,350 6) Nov. 11, 2000 Texas 1,195 7) Oct. 11, 2000 Kansas 1,148 8) Sept. 22, 2001 Texas A&M 1,125 9) Sept. 25, 1999 Kansas 1,107 10) Nov. 22, 2000 Oklahoma 1,091 1994-Present
One of the keys to the Tigers' success over the past two seasons has been establishing an early advantage over their opponents. When Mizzou wins Game 1 of a match, it is 13-1 this season and an astounding 38-1 over the last two seasons. However, when Mizzou drops the opening stanza of a match, it is a not so good 1-10. Look for Mizzou to concentrate on getting off to a good start in Game 1.
Kreklow Corner
Head coach Susan Kreklow and her husband, associate head coach Wayne Kreklow, lead the Tigers into action on Saturday against the Aggies. The Kreklows are in their second year at the helm of the Tigers and sport a 39-11 mark (.780 winning percentage) at MU. They also led Mizzou to one of the best seasons in school history in 2000 at 24-7 and the highest conference finish by a Mizzou squad in school history (2nd).
From Every Direction
Mizzou has shown the balance of...well...a Tiger this season offensively. Four Tigers are averaging at least 2.16 kills per game (Lisa Morris, 4.10 kpg, Christi Myers, 3.33 kpg, Kristen Johnson, 2.16 kpg and Mary Lauren Smith 2.66 kpg.) and four Tigers enter the match with Colorado with a .300 or better hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Chrissy Elder leads the squad in assists averaging 12.16 assists per game and leads the team in hitting percentage with a .330 mark.
The Cardiac Kids
The Missouri volleyball team must love action suspense movies like Mission Impossible, Patriot Games or the X-Files. The Tigers have left their fans clutching their hearts several times this season with their exciting and unpredictable play. Of Mizzou's 15 wins so far this season, seven of them have been of the "3-1" variety. Two of the Tiger losses have come in five-game stomach clinchers when Mizzou has held leads in Game 5. The Tigers also provided the Tiger fans that attended the match in Lincoln against Nebraska a thrill. The Tigers had leads of 24-20 in Game 2 and 31-30 in Game 3 before falling to the Huskers. Missouri volleyball in 2001 is definitely not for the weak of heart.
Lisa is Lighting It Up
Junior outside hitter Lisa Morris has been the one of the Tigers' steadiest producers so far this season. Morris is averaging 4.10 kills per game overall. She has recorded 20 kills or more four times and has recorded nine double-doubles this season. She has also reached double-figures in 17 of Mizzou's 19 matches so far this season and ranks fifth in kills per game in the Big 12.
Morris is currently climbing the MU career kills charts faster than the new N'Sync album (which she does not like). She is currently second on the kills per game list (3.60 kpg) and needs just 23 kills to move into the MU Top 10 kills list.
Uncharted Territory
Middle blocker Christi Myers has been as reliable as Maytag Appliances, the U.S. Postal Service and my old golden retriever, Spot. Over the course of the past five matches, she has averaged 12.33 kills per match, 9.17 digs per match and 4.83 total blocks per match. Myers has also recorded four double-doubles this season.
The junior middle blocker boldly went where no Missouri Tiger volleyball player had gone in the past two seasons on Sept. 22 against Texas A&M. The 6-1, 2000 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection recorded the first triple-double of her career against Texas A&M (18 kills, 15 digs and 11 total blocks.
The 2001 season has been a microcosm of Myers' career up to this point. Myers currently holds the second highest career hitting percentage (.306) in MU history and jumped into third on the kills per game list (3.18). Myers is also rewriting the Mizzou career blocking books. She is fourth in solo blocks (68), fourth in block assists (222) and third in blocks per game (1.09).
Four Tiger Volleyball Matches to be Aired on KWWC
KWWC Radio, with the assistance of Premier Marketing Group, has announced the broadcasting of a Missouri women's sports package. Both the MU women's soccer and volleyball teams will receive coverage of four games and NCAA tournament play during the 2001 fall season.
Likewise, the Missouri women's volleyball team will also receive live coverage of four home events. The Texas Tech, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas State matches will be aired during the regular season. All NCAA Tournament play by the Tigers will also be picked up.
The Name Game-Part 2
If you were a regular reader of Missouri volleyball game notes during the early part of last season (for your health, I hope you weren't), you read the crazy number of repeat and very similar names that existed on the roster. Not much has changed for the 2001 season, in fact the situation has gotten even worse.
First of all, there is a Krista Johnson (senior middle blocker) and a Kristen Johnson (senior outside hitter) on the Tiger squad, not to mention Christi Myers (junior middle blocker) and Chrissy Elder (sophomore setter). There are now two 'Lisas' on the team as well including 2000 All-Big 12 selection Lisa Morris and freshman Lisa Boyd. With the addition of freshman middle blocker Jenny Duitsman and freshman setter Jenny Bybee the need for nicknames is catastrophic. There are even two Katherines on the team (Wingert and Sowers), but fortunately, Miss Sowers goes by Katie.
The Tiger Triple and Double-Double Club
With a variable plethora of offensive weapons at the Tigers disposal, look for the Tigers to have several members of the Triple and Double-Double Club in 2001. Here is a list of the players that have posted double doubles so far this season
Chrissy Elder- 36 assists, 18 digs vs. WVU, 9/1 35 assists, 11 digs vs. Akron, 9/2 34 assists, 15 digs vs IUPUI, 9/7 65 assists, 10 digs vs TTU, 9/19 63 assists, 14 digs vs KSU, 9/26 54 assists, 12 digs vs. UT 10/13 Lisa Morris- 15 kills, 10 digs vs. Akron, 9/2 26 kills, 11 digs vs IUPUI, 9/7 20 kills, 11 digs vs. SIU, 9/7 17 kills, 12 digs vs SEMO, 9/24 23 kills, 12 digs vs. KSU, 9/26 20 kills, 12 digs vs. KU, 10/1 19 kills, 14 digs vs. BU, 10/6 11 kills, 10 digs vs. UT, 10/13 14 kills, 10 digs vs. Colorado Naaron Branson- 15 kills, 21 digs vs. Akron, 9/2 10 kills, 12 digs vs. W. Kent, 9/8 21 kills, 22 digs vs. UT, 10/13 Christi Myers- 18 kills, 12 digs vs. OU, 9/29 15 kills, 10 digs vs KU, 10/1 14 kills, 11 digs vs. BU, 10/6 10 kills, 12 digs vs UT, 10/13 Triple-Doubles Christi Myers- 18 kills, 15 digs, 11 blocks vs. Texas A&M, 9/22
The 2001 Schedule
Mizzou is well into its Big 12 Conference schedule in the double round robin format. The Tigers were 13-1 last season in the home whites and hosted seven of the 10 largest crowds in school history. The usual suspects will be competing for the crown in the Big 12 again this season. Defending National and Big 12 Champion Nebraska returns five of six starters to its lineup while Kansas State and Texas A&M, who both tied with Mizzou for second place in the conference in 2000, each return at least four starters from last season's squads.
You Must Look Back to Go Forward, Grasshopper
Coming off of one of the best seasons in school history, a high level of excitement surrounds the 2001 Missouri volleyball team this season. The 2000 Big 12 Coaches of the year Susan and Wayne Kreklow return five starters from last season's squad that went 24-7 overall (the sixth-most wins in a season in school history) and 14-6 in the Big 12 (the best conference record in school history). The Tigers also achieved a national ranking for the first time since 1982, reaching No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Due to the success of last year's squad, the Tigers developed a following and an atmosphere in the Hearnes Center that makes the friendly confines a difficult place to play for opponents. The Tigers finished 28th in the nation in average attendance last season averaging 875 fans per match, a 171% increase from 1999. With the addition of Point Mizzou, the Tigers' own pep band, and the outstanding level of play that will be on display, the Tigers are developing a tradition that has the Big 12 talking.