The Tigers are approaching the final stretch of their season with one feeling sweeping through the team: hunger.

The Missouri volleyball team is gearing up for tomorrow’s annual “Can The Sooners” match against No. 21 Oklahoma with a 3-6 record in Big 12 Conference play. The Tigers suffered a close loss to the Sooners in Norman, Okla., on Oct. 5. After rallying back from two sets behind, the Tigers dropped the thriller in the fifth set.

Now, the Tigers are ready to face their prey at home, a place where they boast only one loss all season.

“We talked in the locker room about trying to define the characteristics that make up our team and what we want to be known as,” freshman defensive specialist Niki Collier said. “And right now I think an important characteristic is that we’re hungry. You know, we’re never really going to be satisfied.”

Sophomore setter Molly Kreklow said that competing at the Hearnes Center is going to play a large role in the match.

“It’s a lot easier to play at home instead of traveling,” Kreklow said. “We’re definitely going to have to use that to our advantage and come out strong to play against them.”

Kreklow also said the team is ready to bounce back after it dropped yet another five-set match at Kansas State on Wednesday.

“I think it’s a big match since we played them so close when we were away last time,” Kreklow said. “It’s a pretty big rivalry for volleyball. I think everyone’s really excited to play them, and it’s going to be a good match to get revenge after we lost (Wednesday) and last time we played them.”

Oklahoma comes in with a tough setter, senior Brianne Barker, that Missouri prepared for all week. Kreklow said that the team has to be ready for long rallies.

“They’re really scrappy and pretty good defensively,” Kreklow said. “They also tend to keep the ball up. So we’re going to have to prepare for long rallies and probably a long match.”

While the Tigers are trying to satisfy their hunger for a win, the Central Missouri Food Bank will try to help the same cause. Canned food will be collected at the doors for free admission. Last year, it collected 1,761 pounds of food. This game marks the seventh consecutive year the Tigers are holding the event and they hope to break the 2,000-pound mark at the match.

The Tigers are at a crucial point in the season, and with all of the hype surrounding the game, Collier said the team is excited for tomorrow.

“I know all of us are just fired up,” Collier said. “We’re ready to work our butts off and do whatever it takes to beat them.”

The match will be tough for both teams, as five of the last seven matches have gone to at least four sets and the last one went into five sets.

Collier said that the team would go into tomorrow remembering the history between the two teams.

“We’re all fired up,” she said. “We want revenge.”