University of Missouri
Nebraska
Nebraska Blocks Tiger's Quest for Third Straight Win
10/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Head coach Susan Kreklow said that while Mizzou lost the match tonight, it played with poise and competed well with the Huskers.
"We did some good things tonight," Susan Kreklow said. "When you face a talented team like Nebraska, you need to break down each part of your game and concentrate on doing the little things well. We did that at times especially early in Game 2 and late in Game 3. We need to continue to compete and play with confidence as we head down the stretch."
The story of the match had to be the blocking of Nebraska. The Huskers recorded 20.0 total team blocks, tying a Big 12 record for total team blocks in a three-game match, which is also held by the 2000 Tigers vs. Kansas State and Arkansas State. The Tigers hit a season-low .036 in the match. 1999 National Player of the Year Nancy Metcalf led the Huskers with four solo blocks and four block assists while also putting down a match-high 13 kills.
In Game 1, Mizzou would hang with the Huskers early, down by only one point at 4-5. However, NU would go on a 25-11 run the rest of the game and take Game 1, 30-15. Nebraska recorded eight total blocks in the game and held Mizzou to a -.056 hitting percentage. Christi Myers did provide a bright spot for Missouri putting down four kills, two service aces and recorded a .375 hitting percentage in the game.
The Tigers played some of their best volleyball of the season in Game 2 and took leads of 16-12 and 24-20 on the defending National Champions. However, Nebraska used two block solos and a kill from Metcalf as part of a 10-0 run to take Game 2, 30-24. The Tigers did hold Nebraska to a .200 hitting percentage in Game 2 and recorded two total team blocks.
The Tigers would find themselves down 23-18 to start Game 3 once again struggling with the huge Nebraska block. However, Mizzou would battle back with a 13-6 run and take a 31-30 lead on a Christi Myers kill. The Huskers would tie the match and the two squads would exchange points on four rallies to battle to a 33-33 tie. Junior Amber Holmquist would put down a kill for Nebraska and Metcalf would close the door on the Tigers comeback effort with a service ace to take the game, 35-33 and the match, 3-0.
Junior Lisa Morris just missed her seventh double-double of the season tying with Metcalf for a match-high in kills (13) while recording nine digs and three total blocks. Christi Myers pitched in with nine kills while sophomore Ashlee Johns put down five kills in Game 3 as part of the dramatic Mizzou comeback try.
The University of Missouri volleyball team continues its Big 12 schedule Saturday when it welcomes the Baylor Bears to the Hearnes Center. The MU Athletic Department and the Tiger volleyball program will attempt to break the all-time Missouri volleyball attendance record against the Bears.
Over the past two seasons, the University of Missouri volleyball team is 16-2 at home in the Hearnes Center and has entertained eight of the 10 largest crowds in MU volleyball history. The Tigers drew the largest crowd in school history on Oct. 25, 2000, against the then No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers as 2,009 Mizzou maniacs passed through the turnstiles to watch the match.
Game time Saturday is 7 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. The first 1,000 fans get the first of three sets of Mizzou Volleyball player trading cards. www.mutigers.com
