Dec. 1, 2002

The Missouri volleyball team has advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will open play at 5:30 p.m. on Friday against Northwestern in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The winner of the Mizzou and Northwestern match will face the winner of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Northern Iowa on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Northwestern finished eighth in the Big Ten Conference with a record of 17-15 and was 10-10 in the conference.

In 2000, Mizzou fell to Utah State in the first round and last year, the Tigers lost to Illinois in the opening round. This season, the Tigers are 25-7 and 14-6 in the Big 12. They are currently ranked No. 19 in the nation and finished third in the Big 12.