OMAHA — With Nebraska leading 11-7 in the fifth game Sunday against No. 13 Florida, everything was in place for the Cornhuskers to complete their comeback and nab some nice momentum to start the season.
But then, just as they had to start off the match, the Huskers locked up.
No longer were they fighting off an unyielding Gator attack with tough-nosed defense and aggression. Instead, they started slipping back into bad habits, struggling to even get a side out.
Then, it happened: An 11-7 lead turned into an 12-11 deficit. Then, it was match point.
Before they knew it, the Huskers tasted defeat for the first time in this oh-so-promising 2010-2011 season.
And just like that, all the hype, expectations and momentum coming into the year gave way to a surprising inability to get the job done.
"The thing that hurts the most," NU coach John Cook said, "is that it was pretty much all on our side of the net."
Now, the Huskers face a new pressure.
It's the pressure of dealing with early adversity rather than expectations. The type of pressure that comes when a team knows why it failed but couldn't do a thing to stop it.
Most importantly, it's the type of pressure that, if handled improperly, could spoil a potential championship season.
That reality isn't lost on Cook.
"I know we've got to execute better in defining moments," Cook said. "Every team is on their own path for when that happens.
"We had a great opportunity to take a step in that direction tonight, but we didn't get it done."
While it's hard to say where Nebraska's path goes from here, it will be crucial to see how Cook's team responds to this adversity.
It may be early in the year, and one early loss certainly doesn't derail a 29-game regular season, but this type of moment is one NU needs to take seriously.
Yes, they aren't the first team to fall victim to execution woes, and they won't be the last.
But it's a trend that NU needs to learn to avoid. This team is undoubtedly still immensely talented, but talent usually takes a back seat when good teams play matches riddled with mental mistakes.
If the Huskers expect to make it to Kansas City for this year's Final Four, these types of matches must be avoided.
The good news: When NU didn't struggle, it did show glimpses of being the great team we expected.
Although the Huskers were bogged down early by sloppy play, they turned it around in the third set to stave off four match points and keep fighting.
When the physical and tactical abilities failed the squad, NU turned to the energy of the crowd and their teammates to rally back and force a fifth set.
Cook said he could see the potential of this team to give a championship effort even when the Huskers couldn't back it up with their play.
So while there is concern, all Nebraska can do is hope this moment provides a chance for this touted team to grow.
"The good news is, we can take care of those things," Cook said. "We can get better from that."
"The bad news is, we let Florida get out of here with a win."
Pat Radigan is a senior news-editorial major. Reach him at patradigan@dailynebraskan.com
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