The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Missouri
Bell leads No. 10 Volleyball past Missouri, 3-0
10.22.2011 | Volleyball
Oct. 22, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - Freshman middle blocker Khat Bell hammered out 11 kills and hit a career-best .917 as the 10th-ranked Texas Volleyball team swept past Missouri, Saturday night at Gregory Gymnasium. The 25-17, 25-19, 25-14 victory extended the Longhorns current winning streak to six matches and improved their home winning streak to 24 matches. The win moved Texas to 14-4 on the season and 7-1 in Big 12 play, while the Tigers fell to 17-8 overall and 3-5 in league action.
Bell led all players with 11 kills on 12 swings and chipped in three total blocks in the winning effort. Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Webster joined her in double figures with 10 kills on .562 hitting to help the Longhorns out-hit the Tigers, .431-to-.094.
In the first set, Texas put together a 10-3 run capped by a Bell/Sha'Dare McNeal block to claim a 19-11 advantage. Missouri narrowed the margin to six late in the set before a block and a kill by senior All-America middle blocker Rachael Adams sealed the frame 25-17.
Texas' 10-2 run early in the second stanza gave the Horns a commanding 17-8 edge. The Tigers rallied back to shrink the deficit to five, but UT bounced back to close out the set 25-19.
The Horns cruised in the third when a strong service run by senior setter Michelle Kocher was capped by a pair of service aces and handed UT an 18-5 lead. Missouri fought back to within 10 at the 21-11 mark before Texas bounced back and sealed the set 25-14 on a Kocher kill.
Texas returns to action on Friday, Oct. 28 when it plays host to No. 15 Iowa State. First serve is set for 8 p.m. Central.
POST-MATCH NOTES
- Texas' win improved its all-time record against Missouri to 21-10 and 13-3 in Austin.
- The win extended Texas current winning streak to six matches.
- The victory extended Texas' current home winning streak to 24 matches and its home Big 12 winning streak to 29 matches.
- Khat Bell set a new career high with her .917 attack mark.
POST-MATCH QUOTES
Head coach Jerritt Elliott
Opening statement:
On moving Khat Bell to the middle: It had to do with multiple situations. Getting Sha'Dare [McNeal] back and being able to get her on the right, because that's her spot. Sha'Dare can't play on the left and where Bailey Webster is now, she has taken off as a player. So we moved her to the left and ultimately moved Khat [Bell] to the middle where she played a lot in high school and is comfortable in. It eliminated a lot of errors and we are eliminating errors by putting her there. We've got a little bit more balance in terms of transition balls with her there. We knew that she had the speed and the arm to give it that. It's not that we are done with her on the outside, but we felt like we could become a lot more efficient and that's what we needed to do by eliminating some errors with this group.
Freshman OH/MB Khat Bell
On moving to the middle: The main thing I was worried about in coming to the middle was blocking. So I've been practicing that a lot and I've been getting better at that.
Senior L/DS Syndey Yogi
On playing in the Volley for a Cure match: I think it means a lot. We have been doing this every year since I've been here. It's good to give back to the community and it's good to recognize that we do support such an important fight in life. My mom personally had cervical cancer and she overcame that. She is five years in remission now, so she's been doing really well. It means a lot and it's nice to see people come out and support that cause and see us play and cheer us on.
