COLUMBIA — MU volleyball coach Wayne Kreklow likes to use his team’s nonconference schedule to test both his team and what will work for the conference season. Wednesday’s 30-19, 30-17, 30-8 sweep of UMKC at Hearnes Center gave him an opportunity to do exactly that in his team’s first match without sophomore Julianna Klein.
“We’re looking at all options with Jules out,” Kreklow said. “We’re just looking at things we can do to help make us a little more potent offensively.”
One of those things was Kreklow’s experiment with the 6-2 formation that he talked about on Monday. Outside hitter Na Yang said that the new formation could give opponents problems because of the play of freshmen Weiwen Wang and Catie Wilson.
“I think we’re on the same level,” she said. “Wendy and Catie are really good. Sometimes, a crisis provides opportunities, and I’m so glad two freshmen have stepped up.”