To Missouri volleyball coach Wayne Kreklow, it’s obvious who should lead a comeback for the Tigers.
Junior hitter Lisa Henning and junior setter Molly Kreklow are the only two upperclassmen on MU’s roster and accordingly, when the going gets tough, the class of 2014 needs to get going.
“That’s what you would expect out of your team leaders and your veterans,” Wayne Kreklow said. “They’ve done it before, they’ve got a good connection and that’s just one of the things you’ve got to bank on. Right now, they’re our go-tos.”
Henning and Molly Kreklow directed the Tiger resuscitation against No. 17 Tennessee Wednesday night, leading MU out of a two-set abyss to an eventual five-set victory in front of 3,114 fans in a raucous Hearnes Center.
After dropping the first two games by a combined score of 50-34 and trailing 15-20 in the third, Missouri (9-2, 1-0) launched a 12-5 run, in which Henning and Molly Kreklow had a hand in all but one of the Tigers’ points to claim the set 27-25.
Molly Kreklow doled out eight assists in that span and had two blocks. Henning served three of the Tigers’ points and blasted two kills.
“I just went out there with all the intensity that I had,” Henning said. “I knew that I wanted the ball and I wanted to finish the rallies.”
Henning, who finished one kill shy of her season-high, took over even more in the fourth set, adding six more kills. Kreklow notched three more assists. The wind back in its sails, Missouri clamped down on defense and dug out 20 Tennessee attacks in the set. The Tigers rolled to a 25-21 win and tied the match at two games apiece.
Wayne Kreklow said strong leadership along with a talented and maturing team vaulted MU back into contention.
“I really think they did a nice job of really settling (the team down),” he said. “And I think in those situations it’s not so much the ‘rah-rah’ stuff, but it’s just, ‘I’m there. I’m making plays. You can count on me. You can trust me. Bring me the ball and we’ll get it done.’”
But Wayne Kreklow also mentioned that knock-down, drag-out five set battles against ranked opponents are good learning experience for the Southeastern Conference’s newest and youngest team.
“Sometimes you upset somebody (because) they have a bad night and it’s just bing, bing, bing and they’re out,” he said, simulating a boxing match and bobbing and weaving as he spoke. “… You don’t learn a whole lot and you don’t grow a whole lot. But I think this one — having to dig deep and really having to grind it out and make plays — hopefully will help that process.”
The fifth set saw more dominance from Missouri from both the usual suspects and newcomers. Henning served five straight points as MU jumped out to an early 6-0 lead. Molly Kreklow dished five more assists.
Even freshman hitter Regan Peltier got in on the action and scored two of her eight kills.
In the pre-game meeting, she said the team discussed possible fears about the match. Peltier feared how she would hit.
“Lisa told me not to worry about it and that I had nothing to lose,” she said. “If I can’t get a kill, just try to make a shot.”
Putting her inhibitions behind her, she made the shot that completed the blockbuster comeback and busted the reigning SEC champion Volunteers. Peltier deposited a set from Molly Kreklow in the far right corner past the Tennessee back row to seal Missouri’s 15-9 win in the final set and give the Tigers the match.
“Me and Molly, being the captains of this team, we know how much potential our team has,” Henning said. “We’ve seen it in practice. We’ve seen it in different games. It killed us in the first two (sets) when we know what we have, and how we can push, and how much more we can go. Being that leader and seeing our team come through, believing in us and believing in them, is so worth it.”
