AMES, Iowa - The largest-ever crowd for a volleyball match in Iowa saw a clinic on Sunday.
But they might have had mixed feelings.
Kayla Banwarth, a Dubuque, Iowa, native, made her first start for Nebraska on Sunday afternoon. The freshman libero helped the Cornhuskers (23-1, 15-1 Big 12 Conference) paste Iowa State 30-20, 30-19, 30-16 in front of 6,705 fans at the Hilton Coliseum.
"It's very special," Banwarth said. "Coming back to your home state, I couldn't ask for anything more."
She got word of the decision a few hours before the match, as NU junior Rachel Schwartz had typically started at libero.
Banwarth, though, had seen playing time as a defensive specialist in recent weeks, periodically coming in to help out in the back row.
Still, Sunday's start almost didn't happen.
"I was a little apprehensive because this is her home state," NU Coach John Cook said, "and I know Iowa State probably tried to recruit her. And I knew she'd have a big crowd here."
Cook gave Banwarth the off-colored jersey anyway, and he didn't regret it. After getting a standing ovation when the public address announcer blasted her name into the microphone, Banwarth put on a show.
She racked up a career-high 19 digs as the Huskers' stuffed the Cyclones' offense. ISU (15-11, 9-7 Big 12) finished with a dismal .135 hitting percentage.
When Banwarth wasn't sprinting to the ball, her teammates were. The Huskers out-dug the home team 59-45 and allowed their famed athleticism to take over.
NU senior right side hitter Sarah Pavan couldn't be stopped. She finished with a game-high 16 kills, thanks in part to the new libero's skills.
"(Banwarth) made some really key plays," said NU sophomore setter Rachel Holloway, "and just her effort on defense was spectacular. And her passing was dead on."
Before anyone hit a volleyball, though, a strange atmosphere surrounded the match.
While the Huskers rode a bus to Iowa State on Saturday evening, Cook watched his daughter's high school volleyball team, Lincoln Pius X, win the Class B state championship. Then he caught a private flight to Ames and beat his players to the hotel.
And before the match Sunday, the Iowa State women's basketball team hosted a regular-season game. But the Hilton Coliseum's maintenance crew didn't put up a volleyball net immediately afterwards, so Cook and a couple of players shot hoops.
Then Banwarth and the Huskers got down to business.
"I would definitely say it's the best we've played in a while," Holloway said. "I think we were consistent throughout the whole match, and we didn't have as many letdowns as we have (had)."
Those letdowns were part of the reason Banwarth earned the start. She saw significant playing time during the Huskers' comeback win over Kansas State on Nov. 3.
Her efforts were more significant Sunday. During one of the match's few dramatic rallies, Banwarth sprawled out on the floor just as the ball landed.
ISU started celebrating.
But the ball had fallen on the libero's flat hand, and the Huskers eventually won the point.
During the historic afternoon, the Iowa native made sure Cyclone fans had few opportunities to cheer.
"I couldn't ask for a better group of girls," Banwarth said. "We love each other, and we work hard together. So it was worth it."
MICHAELMCHALE@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
