Nov. 15, 2010
COLUMBIA, Mo. - For the third straight week, the Mizzou volleyball team has earned Big 12 weekly honors as senior libero Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) and freshman setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) took home Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, respectively, as announced by the Big 12 on Monday (Nov. 15). Mizzou has now claimed 12 Big 12 weekly honors this season, the most by any team in the league in 2010.
The honor for Vann is her seventh career Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award and her fourth this season, a Big 12-best. Kreklow earns Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for the fifth time this season, which is also the most by any player in the league this season. The two are a big reason why Mizzou has won six straight matches and eight of its last nine.
Vann paced the league in digs per set last week at 5.29 with 37 total while converting all 41 of her service receptions. Her 5.29 digs per set average last week helped her regain the top spot in digs per set in the Big 12 during league play at 5.27, just ahead of Iowa State's Ashley Mass. As evidenced by her 41 perfect service receptions on the week, Vann's passing was as good as it has been all season long last week, which was a key reason why Mizzou was able to hit .295 on the week and average 16.29 kills per set.
The Tiger libero pulled in 20 digs, good for her eighth 20-dig effort of the season, in the Tigers' win over Texas Tech and she converted all 16 of her service receptions in the match. Vann followed that with a 17-dig effort in just three sets (5.67 per set) in Mizzou's sweep of Texas A&M. She also converted 25 serve receptions in the match and helped Mizzou hit .304 in the match with 49 kills. Her defense also helped limit the Aggies to just .168 hitting in the match.
Kreklow helped the Tigers put together possibly their finest offensive week during Big 12 play as she quarterbacked an offense that hit .295 while averaging 16.29 kills per set in Mizzou's two matches. Kreklow spread 89 total assists, good for 12.71 per set, as she continues to lead the Big 12 in assists per set this season (11.74). She also pulled in 11 digs and pitched in eight kills and a pair of service aces on the week.
The freshman setter began her week by spreading 51 assists, good for her third 50-assist effort of the season, in Mizzou's four-set win over Texas Tech. She also matched her career-best with six kills in that match while adding a service ace. Kreklow helped Mizzou finish the match with a .288 attack percentage as well. She concluded her week by dishing 38 helpers in Mizzou's sweep of Texas A&M, helping Mizzou hit .304 as a team with 49 kills, both of which are the Tigers' second-best marks in Big 12 three-set matches this season.
Vann, Kreklow and the Tigers will return to action this Wednesday at No. 8 Texas, a match that will feature the Big 12's hottest two teams. In fact, Texas owns the league's longest active win streak at 11 straight while Mizzou has won six in a row, the league's second-best active streak. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.