Nov. 20, 2007
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COLUMBIA, Mo.— A week with two matches in the regular season remain for the Missouri volleyball team (16-11, 9-9 Big 12), coming down the stretch in pursuit of an eighth-straight NCAA Tournament bid. The final stretch will begin Wednesday with a trip to visit No. 21 Oklahoma (20-8, 12-6 Big 12) in Norman. The Sooners will look to avenge a Mizzou upset from September 22 when the Tigers defeated then-No. 25 Oklahoma in a thrilling five-setter in Columbia. In addition, Tiger senior Na Yang is 30 kills from breaking Mizzou's 15-year-old single-season kill record.
Senior Day Match with Colorado Set for 1 p.m. Saturday
Start time of the season finale, Missouri taking on Colorado, in the Hearnes Center will begin at 1 p.m., Saturday, adjusting to accommodate for Mizzou's 7 p.m. football kickoff with Kansas. Before the match, Tiger seniors, Tatum Ailes, Na Yang, Lindsay Smith, and Luiza Jarocka will be honored.
Na's Record Run
Senior OH Na Yang (Shan Dong, China) is having a career-best season, having recorded 476 kills on the 2007 season, well surpassing her 2006 total (351). Yang currently sits third on the all-time single-season list, one kill from tying Shen Danru (2002) and only 30 from surpassing Yvette Buhlig's school record (515 in 1992).
On Nov. 14, Yang's 22 kills versus Iowa State reached 1,400 kills for her career, becoming the fifth Tiger to do so. Yang is also just 48 kills from taking sole possession of the fourth spot all-time on the career kills list from Christi Myers.
Yang this season has also broken Shen Danru's school record for most 20-kill matches in a single season. By recording 22 kills in the four-set match against Iowa State, it marked the tenth time Yang has reached the 20-kill mark this season. Shen Danru established the single-season record in 2003 with nine 20-kill matches. Na Yang has now recorded 20 or more kills in 21 matches throughout her career, which is good for second-place behind Yvette Buhlig's school record of 22.
Yang has also positioned herself, with 4.53 kills per game this season, as having the second-best KPG total in a Tiger season. Yang is just ahead of Lisa Morris' 4.40 KPG, recorded in 2000 and she is inching her way towards the school record (4.62) set by Yvette Buhlig in 1992.
Defense Has Been the Decisive Difference in Big 12 Tiger Victories
Missouri's winning trends in the Big 12 this season have been directly related to the team's impressive defensive play, led by senior libero Tatum Ailes, freshman DS Caitlyn Vann, and freshman MB Weiwen Wang. While the Tigers' success has directly correlated to their defensive prowess on the stat sheet, much can also be said about their gritty play. The Tigers' ability to chase down loose balls, cover their own player attacks, and constant hustle on the court have helped the team shift the momentum in their direction on numerous occasions this season.
In Missouri's Big 12 losses this season, there has been a significant dropoff in the two main defensive categories, digs and blocks. As a team, the Tigers are averaging 18.0 digs per game and 3.5 blocks per game in the nine conference wins. In defeat, the Tigers are only averaging 15.3 digs per game and 2.0 blocks per game. Numbers that staggering usually contribute to the difference between a victory and a loss.
There has also been a huge discrepancy in individual player statistics in wins and losses as well. Defensive leaders Tatum Ailes and Weiwen Wang's level of play in wins compared to losses from a statistical standpoint has had a huge effect on the squad. Ailes is averaging an impressive 4.32 digs per game in conference defeats, but when the Tigers win, her total goes up 5.25 digs a game. Same goes for Wang, whose block total increases from 0.94 blocks per game in losses to 1.25 blocks per game in victories.
Currently a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers will need to rely on steady defensive play to make the Dance.
-- Ryan Dunaj
And Down the Stretch We Come …
As Missouri enters the final stretch of the season, the possibility that they will, for the eighth-straight season, be a part of the NCAA Tournament field is growing is slowly becoming a realization.
The Tigers' destiny likely lies (largely) in its own hands, as they will split their final two matches of conference play between the Hearnes Center and road venues. The NCAA tournament committee who last year awarded six bids to the Big 12, the last of which went to Missouri who went 11-9 in the Big 12 last season.
The Oklahoma win on September 29 gave the Tigers their first in Big 12 play and ended a four-game losing streak to open conference play. The five-game win handed the then-No. 25-ranked Sooners their first conference loss of the season. Oklahoma has won three straight matches at home, their best win coming Oct. 19 as they defeated Kansas State 3-1.
Missouri will close out the regular season November 24 at home against Colorado, who they defeated 3-2 in Boulder, Colo. earlier this year. The Buffs are having one of the toughest years in memory for their program, as they have notched only one conference win this season and currently stand at 6-19 (1-16).
-- Ryan Dunaj
Ailes' In Battle for All-Time Big 12 Digs Lead
After tying the 2007 season Big 12-record for digs in a four-set match with 29 against Iowa State, Mizzou L Tatum Ailes continues her pursuit to put her name in the record books as the Big 12 Conference's all-time digs leader. Entering Saturday's match against Texas Tech, Ailes has accumulated 1,951 digs during her tenure at Mizzou.
Ailes is closely pursuing Kansas State L Angie Lastra who is 30 digs ahead of Ailes at 1,981 for the all-time conference lead.
Entering Wednesday, Kansas State has one regular-season match remaining while Missouri has two matches remaining. If either or both teams should make the NCAA Tournament, statistics from those games would be included in Ailes' and Lastra's career numbers as well.
Thanks go out to Iowa State SID Matt Shoultz who researched the league's all-time category leaders recently.
Last Time We Met
The Missouri Tiger volleyball team picked a fine time to break out of their slump on September 22. After a heartbreaking collapse at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks a week and a half prior, and being swept in Manhattan, Kan., on the Wednesday before against the No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats, the Missouri Tigers (8-6, 1-4 Big 12) avoided another potential disaster, upending the No. 25-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (12-3, 5-1 Big 12) 31-29, 30-18, 33-35, 24-30, 15-13, in a classic match between the two conference foes.
Sophomore Lei Wang (Shanghai, China) led the way for the Tigers with a triple-double, tallying 10 kills, 49 assists, and 15 digs. It was the first Missouri triple-double since Christi Myers pulled off the feat on September 22, 2001, against Texas A&M.
Senior Na Yang (Shan Dong, China) just missed a double-double with 26 kills and nine digs. Sophomore Megan Wilson (Lincoln, Neb.) also added a tied-career high 18 kills and five digs for Missouri, who picked up their first conference victory of the season and its first versus a ranked opponent, while dodging a fifth straight loss.
Amanda Hantouli (Omaha, Neb.) contributed with 12 kills, adding a team-high six blocks.
Senior Tatum Ailes (Bellevue, Neb.) led Mizzou with 20 digs. Senior transfer Luiza Jarocka (Warsaw, Poland) scored her second-consecutive double-double with 20 assists and 10 digs.
Four Tigers Named to Academic All-Big 12 Team
The Big 12 office announced that Mizzou's Tatum Ailes, Lindsay Smith, Lei Wang, and Na Yang were named to the conference's Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Yang, a senior business major from Shan Dong, China, made the list the third-consecutive year. Ailes, a senior business major from Bellevue, Neb., is making her first appearance on the team. Smith, a senior nursing major from Hermann, Mo., is also a first-time member of the academic team. And, Lei Wang, a business major from Shanghai, China, made her first appearance to the list.
The Tigers have had at least four named to the Academic All-Big 12 team for each of the last five years.
Klein's ACL is a Sideliner
The results from an MRI test conducted on September 10 came back with unsavory results as Mizzou OH sophomore Julianna Klein (Keota, Iowa) was diagnosed with a torn ACL in her left knee which was a result of an injury suffered in a September 8 match versus Houston in San Marcos, Texas.
In the third of four games against Houston, with the Tigers up 20-12, Klein went to attack a ball and then came down in pain.
Klein was leading Mizzou with 4.44 kills per game, up from her 2.75 average her freshman season and stood fourth in the Big 12 in the category. In addition, Klein's defense showed much improvement as her digs-per-game shot from 0.75 her frosh campaign to 2.85 this season, resulting in the first five kill-dig double-doubles of her career. Along with leading Mizzou with 0.48 service aces per game, Klein was third in the Big 12 with 5.30 points per game, behind only 2006 National Player of the Year Sarah Pavan of Nebraska and All-American Destinee Hooker of Texas.
Despite not playing in the final match of the CenturyTel Premier against host Texas State, Klein was named the tournament's MVP, scoring 5.67 kills per game on a .342 hitting strike for the Tigers while adding 3.33 digs per game and scoring 6.67 points per game.
Klein was also named to Ole Miss' Magnolia Classic All-Tournament team, opening the season with a career-best 26 kills against the Rebels.
Ailes, Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week – October 15
The Big 12 Conference announced Monday afternoon that Missouri senior Tatum Ailes won the conference's Defensive Player of the Week award. Ailes (Bellevue, Neb.) proved once again last week to be a defensive force in leading the Tigers to sweeps over Texas A&M and Baylor, helping Mizzou (12-6, 5-4 Big 12) to its fifth-straight victory. Ailes tallied 6.67 digs per game, 40 total, in the two matches and maintained a .951 serve-reception percentage in cleanly fielding 39-of-41 serve attempts coming her way last week.
Mizzou now has back-to-back conference award winners for the first time in program history as freshman Weiwen Wang won the Big 12's Offensive Player of the Week award last Monday. This award is also Ailes' first weekly award from the conference. Ailes won Big 12 Libero of the Year honors in 2005.
In Wednesday's match versus Texas A&M, Ailes notched 19 digs while fielding 23-of-24 serve receptions. At Baylor on Saturday, Ailes had 21 digs to go with 15-of-16 serve receiving attempts. In addition, Ailes added two aces in a row in game one to give Mizzou the game one lead over the Bears.
Mizzou has now won five straight on the way to a fifth-place tie with Iowa State in the Big 12 standings and will host No. 1 Nebraska Wednesday and No. 7 Texas on Saturday.
“Wendy” Wang Earns Big 12 Acclaim – October 8
The Big 12 Conference announced on October 8 that Missouri freshman Weiwen Wang won the conference's Offensive Player of the Week award. Wang (Nanjing, China) led the Tigers to a 2-0 record on the week, which was part of a three-match winning streak at the time and included a five-game victory at Colorado and a sweep of Texas Tech, which allowed Mizzou to move from ninth to sixth place in the conference race. She averaged 5.62 points, 4.00 kills and 2.00 blocks while compiling a .527 hitting percentage and 1.38 digs per contest.
For the record, Weiwen's Tiger teammates call her “Wendy”.
At Colorado, Wang broke school records in blocks (13) and most kills without an error (19). Wang tallied a season-high 28 points in addition to recording the second-best attack clip (.559) in Mizzou history. The Nanjing, China native also contributed six digs and two aces to the Tigers' effort.
Against the Red Raiders, Wang posted 13 kills on a .476 hitting percentage with five digs, three blocks and two aces.
Wang was the first Tiger to win the honor since Jessica Vander Kooi's second career nod on September 25, 2006. In addition, she is the sixth person from Mizzou to win the honor in the last six years and the first Tiger freshman to win the award since Shen Danru did on September 9, 2002.
Notes to Keep in Mind … 2006 Revisited
- The Tigers are coming off a 2006 campaign that included a seventh-consecutive birth to the NCAA Tournament. As a result, Mizzou and Nebraska are now the only programs in the Big 12 Conference to have made the post-season every year since 2000.
- Mizzou won their first-round matchup in the tournament for the third-straight year in 2006, knocking off No. 21 Santa Clara in a three-game sweep in Palo Alto, Calif. The Tigers forced eventual national runner-up Stanford to a five-game thriller in the second round on the Cardinal's home floor, coming back from a game down and 16-10 deficit in the fourth stanza to produce a fifth-game.
- Despite an 18-13 final record in 2006, the end-of-the-season surge produced a No. 21 final ranking in the AVCA Top 25, marking Mizzou's third-straight year among the nation's best. Only 15 teams have been sited on at least the last three final national polls.
Preseason Impressions
The coaches of the Big 12 picked Mizzou to finish third in the Big 12 Conference this season. Defending National and Conference Champion Nebraska was picked to win for the fourth-straight year. Texas was voted second. Truth-be-told, the voting for the third through ninth spots was incredibly close. Right on the Tigers' heels (or tail) in the voting was Texas A&M and Colorado. Iowa State and Kansas State were very close in voting as well. Oklahoma, finished second in the league last year, is picked ninth this season. It should be a very interesting season in the league.
The national impression of the league is also striking. Nebraska was the coaches' preseason pick to at national No. 1. Texas is also expected to have a big year, they ranked 4th in the preseason national poll. The Tigers had a No. 20 preseason ranking with Oklahoma, mentioned earlier that they were picked to finish ninth in the league, had a No. 22 preseason standing, ending the 2006 season with a No. 12 ranking. Texas A&M, Colorado, and Iowa State all received votes in the poll.
Senior Salute
At no time in Mizzou volleyball history have players entered the season with as much playing experience in the NCAA Tournament as seniors Tatum Ailes and Na Yang. Helping the Tigers to their seventh-postseason run in 2006, both Yang and Ailes have played eight NCAA Tournament matches in their previous three years at Mizzou which includes a run to the field's round of eight in 2005.
Both Ailes and Yang were named to this season's Preseason All-Big 12 team, and for Ailes, she became the first defensive player in league history to earn such an honor.
Ailes (Bellevue, Neb.) returns for her senior campaign fresh from an appearance on Team USA's A2-national training team this spring and returns to the team having been the Tigers' starting libero for three seasons. Meanwhile, Ailes has already made a lasting impression on the Mizzou program as the squad's all-time leader in digs and digs per game. In 2005, the coaches of the Big 12 named Ailes as Libero of the Year.
Yang (Shan Dong, China) is in her senior campaign as well and has an accomplished record from her previous three years at Mizzou. Yang has shown prowess during the regular season, but her numbers in the post-season are the outside-hitter's bread-and-butter. In eight NCAA Tournament matches, Yang has averaged 4.10 kills per game on a .304 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Surge
A very large, and important, piece of this year's puzzle is four returning Tigers in their second year of eligibility. The Class of '09 will vital in Mizzou's “Unleashing”.
Setter Lei Wang is already going into her second full year of leading the Tiger offense, coming off a successful frosh season in leading the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament with a 12.46 assists per game, 2.39 digs per game, and 0.98 points per game average. During the Big 12 season, Wang averaged 12.86 assists per game, ranking fifth in the league. Wang recorded 63 assists in the five-game NCAA second-round match at Stanford and was a crucial component of the Tiger game-four comeback, as Mizzou hit nearly .500 (13-2-24) from when the Tigers were down 16-10 to when Mizzou won the frame 30-25.
Keota, Iowa, native Julianna Klein stepped up during her true freshman season, finding a starting role in 18 matches last season. Klein scored 10-or-more kills in 16 matches last season, including scoring a season-high 21 kills versus Baylor on September 27. Against Stanford in the NCAA second round, Klein carded 14 kills and six digs. In addition, Klein's serve caught several opponents off guard early in the year as she scored 18 of her 23 aces from the season in the first 11 matches. Klein racked seven aces in an early-season tournament match against Villanova.
Amanda Hantouli started 25 matches last season as a redshirt freshman, finding her first playing time since an ACL injury sidelined the Omaha, Neb., native during her senior year in high school. Now a sophomore, Hantouli contributed 10-or-more kills in four contests and five-or-more blocks in six matches last season. Her play against Stanford in the NCAA second round gave many a picture into the possible future as she scored 10 kills on 15 attempts (.533), adding three blocks.
Megan Wilson will likely see quite a bit of playing time as a right-side hitter this season. The 6-2 sophomore from Lincoln, Neb., exposed much talent as a server as well last season. Against Stanford in the NCAA second round, Wilson added three crucial aces and served many points in efforts to throw the Cardinal offense. Wilson had three matches in 2006 with two-or-more aces.
Sparkling and New
This year's incoming freshman class will get much experience, very early. Unlike the class before that had three use redshirt seasons to refine their skills, this Class of 2010 will see time immediately.
Newcomer Caitlyn Vann comes to Mizzou from Muncie, Ind., and Burris High School. Vann, along with fellow newcomer Catie Wilson, was one of 35 to be named to the inaugural AVCA High School Senior All-American list. Vann was a three-time All-State selection at Burris, earning first-team honors in her junior and senior seasons. While Vann was recruited as a libero, she played as a left-side hitter in her years in high school, tallying 442 kills and 368 digs as team captain in her recently completed senior season. Vann was also a part of USA Volleyball's Junior National Training Team in 2006 and was before a two-year member of USAV's Youth National-A2 team.
Weiwen Wang comes to Mizzou from Nanjing, China, and is the fifth Tiger to come from the country. Wang was captain of her national-champion high school team and was a member of her country's team that won the 2006 World School Volleyball Championship in Porec, Croatia. Wang was also a member of the Chinese 15 & Under Youth National team that took third.
Catie Wilson (no relation to Megan Wilson) comes to Mizzou from Omaha, Neb., and Gross High School. Wilson, along with Vann was named to the AVCA's inaugural High School Senior All-American Team. In addition, Wilson was a four-time All-State selection, earning first-team honors in her junior and senior seasons.
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