We’re about 35 minutes from first serve here at Hearnes Center, and if you can’t make it out here tonight, be sure to catch the match on the Missouri Sports Network.
I didn’t get a match preview up for Colorado this morning, so consider these notes to be just that:
- If Mizzou wins tonight, it’ll be the best home start for the team since 2003.
- Caitlyn Vann was named the Big 12 defensive player of the week for last week. Vann had 34 digs across two matches in the week.
- Colorado has struggled in Big 12 play this year, going 0-6 while only winning one set in those matches. The Buffaloes are 5-10 overall.
- Sophomore outside hitter Becah Fogle is the player to watch on the Buffs, averaging 3.41 kills/set.
- Mizzou trails the all-time series with Colorado but is 12-4 in the the last 16 matches. The Tigers have also won the last five against CU.
- Of the 23 NCAA national championships Colorado has won, 17 have been in skiing. Something tells me they don’t have to worry about SEC speed in that sport.
- Notable CU alumni include “South Park” creators Trey Parker & Matt Stone, 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, and ESPN college football announcer/host Chris Fowler.
Starting lineup for Mizzou:
Lei Wang-Francisco
Brittney Brimmage
Caitlyn Vann
Julianna Klein
Priscilla Armandariz
Annie Lopez
Catie Wilson
Let’s play some volleyball!
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Good start for the Tigers. A couple of aces from Julianna Klein have put Mizzou up 7-2 heading into a CU timeout.
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Jules is absolutely on fire from the service line. Every one of her serves has been great to put Mizzou ahead 9-3 after the Tigers finally lose the serve.
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CU’s played much better after the timeout—it’s now 13-9 Mizzou after a Catie Wilson kill.
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More aces for Jules! It’s now 19-11.
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A nice run by Mizzou has them up 23-14 as CU calls a timeout. Great all-around play by Mizzou, especially from Jules in this set—she’s done more than rip great serves. Digs, kills, you name it.
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And a Catie Wilson kill ends the set with Mizzou winning 25-15. Wilson led Mizzou with four kills and two blocks while Klein had three kills.
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First set stat notes:
- Jules had five aces in the set. That’s good, but it wasn’t the only thing she did well. Her four digs were tops on the team and she hit .375.
- Catie Wilson hit .429 on the set.
- As a team, Mizzou hit .276 while CU hit .034.
- Mizzou also tallied three team blocks.
- A shoutout also has to go to the back row of Caitlyn Vann/Priscilla Armendariz/Annie Lopez that played very well, too.
It’s 7-3 Tigers now.
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It’s absurd how many blocks Mizzou is getting in this match. CU haven’t been able to get in system at all, and great front row play has been a huge part of that. It seems like almost every swing Colorado takes is ending in a block at this point.
10-3 Mizzou.
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Lots of blocks, lots of aces, and lots of kills. 15-4 Mizzou as CU calls a timeout.
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21-11 Mizzou with CU calling another timeout. Jules is up to eight kills on the match and has six aces, one short of tying her career high.
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A kill by Paola Ampudia gives Mizzou a 25-14 win in set No. 2. Lots of good stuff going on with the Tigers—I’ll have more when I get handed the stat sheet.
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Second set stat notes:
- Julianna Klein had two aces to give her seven on the match. Remember, there’s still at least one more set to play…so this could be an even bigger match in that department for her.
- Mizzou hit .324 on the set, while CU hit .053.
- Mizzou added two more team blocks to give them 5.0 for the match.
- Catie Wilson now has six kills and is hitting .556 on the match.
- Jules is hitting .333, too.
- Caitlyn Vann has nine digs, Annie Lopez seven, and Klein five.
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Nice start for Mizzou in the third set—they’re up 10-5 as CU calls a timeout.
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With Mizzou up 12-5, Kate Harris enters the game at setter for Lei Wang-Francisco. If things keep going well, expect to see more of the Tigers’ freshmen come in as the game goes on.
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Wow, Paola Ampudia has some major, major, major hops. She just got WAY up in the air for a kill to make it 15-9.
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CU trying to make a game of this last set. 20-16 Mizzou with CU holding serve.
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It’s now 20-18 as coach Kreklow calls for a timeout.
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Wendy Wang enters the match and immediately has an impact—softly tipping the ball over the net to set up a four-hits violation by Colorado.
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Close set here. It’s 22-21 Mizzou and Lei’s back in at setter.
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Lei sets up Wendy to tie it back up at 23-23. Wendy now serving.
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A GREAT back-and-forth point finishes with Lei getting a kill to tie things up at 24.
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A bad set by Colorado allows Mizzou to make it 25-24. A fan sitting behind me said during a lull in the crowd noise “I don’t have the blood pressure for this.” Good thing Mizzou took the first two sets…
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25-25 after a CU side out.
And an error by Mizzou makes it 26-25 CU, which will be serving for set point when we come out of this timeout.
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And CU takes the set 27-25. Let’s see if Mizzou can regain the intensity they had during the first two sets here in the fourth.
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That was just the second set Colorado has won against a Big 12 opponent this year.
Good to see Catie Wilson back in for Mizzou and picking up a kill to start the set.
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Stat notes:
- Mizzou hit just .123 in the third set. CU hit a match-high .149.
- Paola Ampudia and Julianna Klein are carrying the attack weight for Mizzou, combining for 20 kills through the first three sets.
- Caitlyn Vann has 19 digs through three sets.
Mizzou is up 7-2 early in the fourth set thanks to a couple of kills from Ampudia.
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Looks like we got a race between Ampudia and Klein to see who can have the most kills in the match. Both have 13 with Mizzou up 11-5 in the fourth set.
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+1 to Ampudia. 13-5 Mizzou.
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CU went on a run to make it 14-9, but a Catie Wilson kill stopped it to put Mizzou up 15-9 heading into a timeout.
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+1 kill to Klein, now 18-10 Mizzou. Both Klein and Ampudia have 14 kills, while Catie Wilson has entered double-digits with 10.
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Brittney Brimmage just recorded her sixth block of the match to make it 20-11 Mizzou. Paola Ampudia is second on the team with five blocks.
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Colorado’s making another comeback. It’s now 23-18 as Kreklow calls a timeout.
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A Catie Wilson kill makes it 24-18. Priscilla Armendariz will serve for the match.
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