| Match | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. #23 Texas A&M | Columbia, Mo. | Sunday // 3:00 p.m. (CT) | SEC Network |
Game Notes: Mizzou |
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou volleyball will continue its weekend homestand as it host Texas A&M in a 3 p.m. match on Sunday that will air live on the SEC Network. Paul Sunderland and Nell Fortner will be on the call. Sunday's matchup is pits former Big 12 rivals together for their fourth meeting as members of the SEC. Mizzou is coming off of a sweep of Arkansas on Friday night at Hearnes.
The Tigers' series against the Aggies dates back to 1981 and it is a series that was dominated by A&M until Wayne and Susan Kreklow took over the program. From 1981-1999, A&M won 10 of the 11 meetings, but the two teams have played very close since then with A&M holding a 15-12 lead since then. Mizzou leads 9-8 since Wayne Kreklow became head coach in 2005, but A&M has won three of the last four meetings despite Mizzou earning a sweep in the only meeting between the two teams a year ago in College Station.
Freshman Kasey Reuter has found herself in the starting lineup in the last five matches after not starting a match since Aug. 30. The move has paid of for Coach Kreklow as Reuter is averaging 2.40 kills per set on .241 hitting in that span. She is coming off of a career-best match at South Carolina Sunday as she reset career-highs in kills (11), points (13.5), digs (five) and attempts (28). Her 28 attempts were second on the team.
Sophomore Carly Kan went over 300 kills for the season last weekend as she now has 330 on the year. She is the first four-year Tiger to post 300 kills in each of her first two seasons since Julianna Klein did so in 2008. Kan had 383 in her freshman season when she was named SEC Freshman of the Year. This year, the All-American is on pace for 435 in her second year in black and gold. The last Tiger true sophomore to post more than 400 kills in a season was three-time AVCA All-American Lisa Henning who had 523 in 2011.
On Friday night, Mizzou limited Arkansas to just three kills in the opening set of that match, using 18 digs and two blocks to limit Arkansas to -.111 hitting. It was the fewest kills Mizzou has allowed in a set this season (matching a mark from Mizzou's season-opener against Mississippi Valley State) and it is the fewest Mizzou has allowed in SEC play as well.
Recapping Arkansas
Mizzou volleyball swept Arkansas, 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-22), on Friday night (Oct. 31) at the Hearnes Center behind sophomore All-American Carly Kan's SEC-leading 15th double-double. The Tigers improve to 14-11 and snap a two-match losing streak and they even their SEC record at 5-5. Mizzou had a balanced attack with seven players posting kills in the win. Kan posted 10 kills and a match-high 11 digs in the win while picking up a pair of aces. She paced the Tiger attack which also got a nice night from senior Emily Wilson (Omaha, Neb.) as she tallied eight kills on .412 hitting. Sophomore Emily Thater had a nice night as well with five kills on .333 hitting with four blocks and an ace. Whitney Little, Kasey Reuter and Regan Peltier each added five kills in the win. The setting duo of Loxley Keala and Ali Kreklow combined for 35 assists with 19 and 16, respectively. Senior libero Sarah Meister pulled in nine digs and Thater led the team with her four blocks.
Scouting Texas A&M
Record: 14-7 overall, 6-4 in SEC play
Last Match: 3-2 loss at Alabama
Player to watch: Junior MB Shelby Sullivan leads the team in points and kills with 280 points this season and 226 kills (3.01 k/s). Sullivan received AVCA All-South Region Honorable Mention and was named to the All-SEC Team last season.
- Stephanie Aiple boasts 736 assists on the season, averaging 10.67 per set.
- Defensively, the Aggies have two players with more than 200 digs on the season - Victoria Arenas (222) and Emily Hardesty (211).
Notes: The Aggies had a three-match winning streak snapped Friday at Alabama.
Texas A&M is 4-2 on the road this season and an impressive 7-2 away from College Station.
Up Next
Mizzou will be back in action next weekend at Kentucky and Tennessee. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouVB.
