Missouri volleyball rallies around sophomore hitter in win over Texas A&M
Midway through the fourth set of Missouri’s Big 12 home opener against Texas A&M on Saturday, Lisa Henning looked furious. She leaped and swung at a ball only to have it connect with the net. Error. Upon the blow of the referee’s whistle, Henning took that ball and chucked it over her head.
It was curious behavior, coming from the sophomore who had all the reason to be pleased with her team’s winning performance in the game. Earlier in the set she had tallied her 19th kill of the game and most hitters would be nothing but happy after hitting their career mark.
“I’m just always thinking how I never want to make a mistake and whenever I do, I get upset,” Henning said. “But I’m starting to realize more that everybody makes mistakes and it’s okay just to move on.”
Henning hardly made any mistakes on Saturday as she commanded the Tigers (14-3, 1-1) to a 3-1 victory over Texas A&M in a conference win at the Hearnes Arena where all four sets were exactly two points apart. She was on full-force attack mode against the Aggies, swinging a total 58 times and finishing with 21 kills.
“She did a really good job of shouldering the load,” coach Wayne Kreklow said. “We move her around a lot and it’s tough for a hitter. But she did a good job delivering and making big play after big play.”
Henning has been utilized all over the court so far this season at positions at the net and even the back row. The Aggies struggled to contain her from anywhere. At one point, Henning swatted on a ball that blasted an Aggie defender directly in the face, sending her hairband flying.
Kreklow says the team benefits from Henning’s ability to perform around the net, making her an unpredictable force for opponents.
“It really helps us a lot,” he said. “And it’s not an easy thing to do. You’ve got to be a pretty tough kid and a competitor to do that.”
Henning, knowing that she would need to contribute in different ways to a team with seven freshmen, has embraced the role all season and is adapting well.
“It get pretty tiring,” said Henning, who rarely left the court all game. “It wasn’t something I was used to and it’s made me get in better shape.”
Henning was certainly not the only player who glimmered in the win.
Senior libero Priscilla Armendariz recorded her 1,000th career dig in the game. She is the eleventh player in the program to hit the mark.
“I think it says that I have a good role for this team,” Armendariz said. “They need someone back there to get these digs and I’m happy to do that.”
Freshman hitter Emily Wilson was responsible for 10 points in the game with 16 kills and five blocks. Sophomore Molly Kreklow quarterbacked the attack and had a double-double performance with 53 assists and 11 digs.
It’s early in conference season, as the Tigers will face Texas, Iowa State and Oklahoma in the coming weeks, three teams ranked top 25 nationally.