University of Missouri
1-0
Marshall
0-1
No. 19 @MizzouVB’s Big Comeback vs. Marshall Highlights Friday’s Two Victories
8/25/2017 8:57:00 PM | Volleyball
Tigers reel off two consecutive sets against Marshall after facing the brink in fourth set
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – No. 19 Mizzou Volleyball (2-0) opened its 2017 season Friday (Aug. 25) with a doubleheader and reeled off a pair of victories. The Tigers tallied a thrilling 3-2 (17-25, 25-15, 21-25, 25-22, 15-9) comeback win versus Marshall in their first match, followed by a convincing 3-0 (25-7, 25-13, 25-20) sweep in their finale against Middle Tennessee.
Top Performers vs. Marshall
- Leketor Member-Meneh: 22 kills on .286 hitting, 11 digs, first career double-double
- Melanie Crow: 14 kills, 8 digs
- Courtney Eckenrode: 36 assists, 4 aces, 8 digs, 2 total blocks
- Alyssa Munlyn: 7 kills on .462 hitting, 5 total blocks
Top Performers vs. Middle Tennessee
- Munlyn: 6 kills on .750 hitting, 2 total blocks
- Kira Larson: 7 kills on .545 hitting, career-high 5 aces
Hear From Coach Kreklow
On today's season-opening doubleheader…
"I thought we showed a lot of resiliency in the first match against Marshall. They're a very good team and we got off to a slow start. We re-grouped and executed better as the match went on and we were able to come away with the win. I was pleased with our performance in the serve and pass game against Middle Tennessee. It was unfortunate Mel (Crow) went down with an injury, but Sydney Deeken came in and did a good job for us. We will have to re-group for two tough matches tomorrow."
Hear From The Tigers
Member-Meneh on her memorable opening day for Mizzou…
"The game was kind of sporadic when I first got in, but I definitely wasn't nervous. I just knew that I had to stay calm and make sure to pump up the people around me like I try to do in practice. I feel like it all worked out."
Munlyn on the team fighting back late against Marshall…
"It just justifies what kind of team we really are. We've worked so hard this offseason. I think maybe harder than any other team out there. Our fight was filled with heart and passion. Those were the two things that set us apart from the rest."
#Mizzou Takeaways
- Member-Meneh had an opening day to remember, tallying a team-high 31 kills on .349 hitting over her two matches Friday.
- Mizzou was lights out on offense against Middle Tennessee, producing 37 kills on .516 hitting. The superb team hitting percentage ranks eighth-highest all-time in a single-match in program history.
- The Tigers were on the brink of a season-opening loss against Marshall, trailing 2-1 overall and 19-10 at one point in the fourth set. Led by Larson's stellar serving, Mizzou responded in a big way and ended the set on an amazing 15-3 run.
- In the fifth and final set against Marshall, the Tigers once again were propelled by a big run courtesy of Larson's serving. Mizzou jumped out to a 6-0 advantage in the set, virtually putting away the team race to 15 points.
- Larson posted two service aces against Marshall, followed by a career-high five aces in only three sets against Middle Tennessee.
- Mizzou's middle blocking duo, Kayla Caffey and Munlyn, played a huge role into the team's success Friday. In her Tigers debut, Caffey recorded 12 kills on .500 hitting with seven total blocks, while Munlyn posted 13 kills on .571 hitting and seven total blocks.
- Crow's 19 total kills improved her career total to 1,152. That impressive mark now sits as the 10th-most career kills in Mizzou Volleyball history.
- The Wildwood, Mo., native also moved into the Top-10 in all-time Mizzou points, as she now holds 1,363 career points.
- Ali Kreklow now possesses 1,514 career assists, ranking eighth overall in Mizzou history.
- Munlyn's six block assists moved her into the Top-10 all-time in program history. The Suwanee, Ga., native now sits with 247 career block assists.
- Riley Sents earned her first career start at libero in the Tigers' opener against Marshall. She didn't disappoint, producing a career-high 20 digs.
Up Next
Mizzou concludes its two-day trip in Clarksville, Tenn., on Saturday (Aug. 26) with two more matches. The Tigers will meet Northern Iowa at 10 a.m. CT, followed by a 3 p.m. CT first serve against host Austin Peay.
Purchase Your 2017 Season Tickets
Fans are encouraged to call 1-800-CAT-PAWS or visit MUTigers.com/VBSeasonTix to purchase their 2017 Mizzou Volleyball season tickets today. Adult season passes are available for $40, while youth Tigers fans (ages 3-17) and seniors (ages 65-plus) passes are $30 each.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Volleyball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (Missouri Volleyball) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouVB).
