Husker volleyball loses to ISU for first time in 75 matches

As goes the theme for the 2009 Nebraska volleyball team, history was made Wednesday night. But as has been the case so far this season, it wasn't in favor of the Cornhuskers.

For the first time in 75 matches, Nebraska lost to Iowa State.

In an error-filled night, the Huskers lost in five sets 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25 and 12-15. Accompanying the loss for the Huskers was 34 attack errors, reminiscent of another heartbreaking loss earlier this season when the team had 26 against UCLA.

NU coach John Cook entered the post-game press conference and asked members of the media if they were ready. When one reporter courageously said that he was, Cook had a short, simple message.

"Thirty-four attack errors, there's the game," he said, slamming the night's stat sheet onto the table in front of him.

"And we went soft in game five. We didn't learn our lesson from UCLA. You just can't do that against a top-15, top-10 team and expect to win."

Cook was at a loss for words when asked what was to blame for his team's error-happy performance.

"We're not staying with Nebraska volleyball," Cook said. "We're not committing to how we train, it's people starting to do their own thing."

In the opening set, Nebraska used three big double-blocks and a .357 team hitting percentage to propel themselves to a 25-18 set one victory.

The set remained neck-and-neck before the Huskers took off on a four point rally to take the lead 10-9. Senior Kori Cooper teamed up with Lindsey Licht to pull off a double block that swung the momentum Nebraska's way – one of three Cooper would be a part of in the first.

Back-to-back kills from Tara Mueller sparked another rally for the Huskers, this time for five points, putting the Huskers up 19-12.

On two of her five kills in the set, freshman Hannah Werth gave the Huskers the set win after she capitalized on the end of a marathon volley.

But the Husker offense went dormant in the second set.

As a team, NU combined for a -.043 hitting percentage on 12 errors. Despite the poor hitting, Nebraska was able to keep right with the Cyclones up until the middle of set two. No team led by more then two points until ISU went off on a five-point run, taking the lead 17-13. The Huskers cut that lead down to one after a Mueller kill and a Gina Mancuso ace, but the NU comeback was short-lived. Iowa State took the set 25-19.

"Little things break down," Nebraska's lone senior Cooper said. "We weren't turning free balls into good passes. When the little things like that break down, were not playing Nebraska volleyball."

Nebraska played from behind for almost the entire third set. Iowa State led by as much as 17-13, and the NU offense remained quiet until the tail-end of set three. Brooke Delano ignited the Nebraska push at 16-18, and Licht connected on a pass from Sydney Anderson that put the Huskers up 23-22.

Nebraska posted nine kills to finish off the Cyclones and lead the match two sets to one.

ISU came out determined to force a fifth set, taking six of the first nine points to open set four.

Once again, Iowa State controlled the majority of the set. The Huskers posted a .292 hitting percentage, a number that would not be good enough to overcome a .447 mark posted by the Cyclones.

With a 25-21 win, ISU forced a fifth and final set.

Nebraska posted only seven kills on 34 swings for a .000 hitting percentage in the fifth-set loss. Cooper was the only Husker to record a hitting percentage over .000. Cook said his team came out soft in the waning moments of the historic loss.

"Iowa State came to play, and we didn't show up," Cooper said. "They deserved to win."

jayb.sloan@dailynebraskan.com