Husker volleyball defeats Minnesota with help from newest member

Doug Burger

daily nebraskan

Last year, Lauren Cook did what a lot of girls her age aspire to do: move to Los Angeles to make a name for herself.

But Cook didn't make the move to become an actress, singer or dancer. She did it to play volleyball.

After a short but successful hiatus out west playing her freshman year at the University of California, Los Angeles, Cook is back home in Lincoln and practicing with her new teammates, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Cook was sidelined the majority of the spring season with an illness, but returned to the court last week.

"It was so nice getting her back," NU outside hitter Tara Mueller said. "She brings this energy and this fun to the court – just the way when I get a kill off her set, and just looking at her, it makes me smile. It brings back a little more relaxation and her competitiveness on the court."

Cook has said she didn't want to be known as the daughter of NU head coach John Cook and wanted to go to a college where she could escape that association. Lauren quickly made a difference for a UCLA team that finished 24-9, and the setter earned national freshman of the year honors.

"It's been a little nerve-racking," John Cook said last week about having Lauren back on the court. "We're not sure how hard to push her. That part has been a little unnerving. We want to see if she can get ready to play by this weekend."

The Huskers were in Minneapolis this weekend for their final spring exhibition. Nebraska defeated Minnesota in all five sets played 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, 23-17, 15-11 and Lauren Cook saw the court for the first time during the spring as a Husker.

"We were able to play everyone, and they did a great job of working together on the court," John Cook said. "To come in here and play well against a quality team showed our ability to handle different situations. More importantly, we played our best volleyball at the end of games, and that was something we had not done all spring. When we got to 22 points, we reached a higher level, and that is something we can build on as we move forward."

Four Huskers finished the match with more than 10 kills, led by Hannah Werth with 14. Fellow freshman outside hitter Gina Mancuso added 12 kills and 15 digs. Early enrollee Morgan Broekhuis continued to get comfortable in a Husker uniform with 12 kills and Lindsey Licht tallied 11 kills after missing much of the spring season. The Husker head coach said it was his team's best effort of the spring.

"As the match went on, we got better and better and started to smooth some things out," John Cook said.

Setters Sydney Anderson and Lauren Cook were equally impressive to their teammates. Both players recorded double-doubles with Anderson's 38 assists and 10 digs and Cook's 23 assists and 13 digs.

Cook averaged over 10 assists a set and was an effective attacker and server for the Bruins last season.

But will the young setter be able to make an impact on a Husker team that made a deep run together last season?

"Oh, yeah," John Cook said. "That's what she's working for. She's done some great things in practice this spring, but she's just got to get healthy."

dougburger@dailynebraskan.com