Huskers end MU's streak
Published Oct. 13, 2006
From the television crews covering the match to the reporters from St. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha, Neb., it was evident that Wednesday night's volleyball match was different from others. For Missouri, the end result was different from any other this season: a loss at home.
The No. 15 Tigers (13-5, 7-2 Big 12) were swept by the No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers, 30-25, 30-22, 31-29. A crowd of 6,105, by far the largest this season and the third largest in MU history, watched the Huskers (16-0, 8-0) move one and a half games ahead of the Tigers for first place in the Big 12.
Tigers coach Wayne Kreklow said that his team didn't play at the same level they had during the seven-match winning streak, which was snapped Wednesday night.
"This is not the team we've seen of late," he said. "We didn't execute well, and there were a lot of things we could have done better."
Missouri hit just .154 for the match, including just .042 in the first game. The Tigers blew a 17-12 lead in the game and fell 30-25.
Senior outside hitter Jessica Vander Kooi said the team was practically taken out of the match after blowing the first game.
"Had we not fallen off in the first game, this would have been a totally different match," she said.
Although the Huskers hit .339 for the match and .438 in the second game, MU senior middle blocker Nicole Wilson said the Tigers did themselves in by committing 22 errors.
"We beat ourselves tonight," she said after the game.
Wilson had 13 kills, and Vander Kooi added 11. The next leading scorer was freshman outside hitter Julianna Klein, who had just six kills and nine total points.
Kreklow said the Tigers were hurt by the lack of production by the rest of the team.
"We needed to have help tonight," he said. "And we didn't get it."
The Huskers used their size upfront to block the Tigers 22 times. The 6-foot-3-inch junior Tracy Stalls had eight blocks, and 6-foot-5-inch junior Sarah Pavan had four to go along with 16 kills and eight digs. Huskers coach John Cook praised his team's effort at the net.
"We blocked the ball great tonight," he said. "It was a workmanlike effort."
Kreklow said the Tigers weren't thoughtful enough at the net and that led to the players getting blocked repeatedly.
But he added that Missouri also got lazy and over-thought the points at different times, especially the freshmen.
"The younger players were tentative," he said. "They were trying to avoid blocks and got passive."
As for the crowd, MU students were apparently responsive to the barrage of free tickets passed out around campus before the match. Nebraska freshman setter Rachel Holloway seemed impressed by the hostile atmosphere her team faced. But she said she felt that it had little effect on her concentration during the match.
"The fans were crazy behind us," she said. "But during the match, adrenaline is rushing and you don't really hear them."
With this sweep now behind them, the Tigers have Saturday off and then head to Norman, Okla., Wednesday for a match against the No. 24 Oklahoma Sooners.
Cook gave some advice to the Tigers and called Nebraska's match in Norman "the toughest of the season."
"Missouri had better have their A-game for Oklahoma," he said.
Kreklow said he isn't worried about the team spiraling downward after this loss.
"We may lose in Norman," he said. "We may get beat, but not because we're caving. I'm not worried about us bouncing back and playing well."