No. 9 Husker volleyball sweeps Kansas Jayhawks

Daily Nebraskan

Five different players have led the Huskers in kills this season. Saturday night it was Kori Cooper.

The No. 9 Cornhuskers swept the Kansas Jayhawks 25-15, 25-12, 25-18 behind Cooper's 11 kills in Lawrence at the Horejsi Center.

Nebraska (21-6, 14-4 Big 12) has only twice this season had a player notch 20 kills or more, both times coming from Tara Mueller. More times than not, though, NU has needed across-the-board production to gain victories. Saturday was another good example of that, as three Nebraska hitters finished with 10 kills or more, helping extend Nebraska's winning streak to five matches.

Outside hitters Tara Mueller and Hannah Werth each totaled 10 kills, combining for a .425 hitting percentage.

"You get your left sides doing that, and it's a pretty good night," NU coach John Cook said.

Middle blocker Brooke Delano added seven kills of her own and didn't commit an error in the process. The production doesn't come from nowhere, though. Setter Sydney Anderson leads the balanced offensive attack for the Huskers. The junior has averaged 41.6 assists per match during the winning streak.

"Sydney is really good," Cooper said. "She really spreads the offense out. I haven't played in a match with Sydney where there hasn't been multiple times where I've been one-on-one."

In order for Anderson to set up NU's potent offense, her teammates have to be effective passers. Opponents haven't recorded a service ace in the last three matches because of Nebraska's passing ability. Cook said that he felt his team passed exceptionally well against KU, allowing Anderson to do her job.

"Sydney was in system, it felt like 90 percent of the time," Cook said. "They were trying to trap us and play games, and she read it every time — got one-on-ones all over the place.

"I know this probably had to be a really fun match for her, and our passers did a great job at getting the ball on her head."

Anderson propelled the Huskers to a .433 hitting percentage, including .516 during the second set. Cooper hit at a .600 clip, and Delano finished at .700.

"We have over four players hitting over .300, and that's spectacular," Cooper said.

Kansas (15-13, 7-11 Big 12) had a much tougher time receiving Nebraska's serve, which led to the Jayhawk's .082 hitting percentage. Only one player finished with double figure kills, and KU had a negative hitting percentage in the first set at -.041.

"You could see the frustration because they were having difficulty passing our serves," Cook said.

Two Nebraska service aces and nine team blocks, highlighted by three from Werth, helped fend off a KU upset attempt.

The Huskers only have two Big 12 Conference matches left, and with a conference championship out of reach, Nebraska is preparing for the postseason. Cook said the team has let go of the problems that plagued it earlier in the season leading into the month of November, in which it has not dropped a set.

"We've eliminated the pressure and anxiety that we had early in the year," Cook said, "And now you are seeing a team that is embracing that concept of having fun and loving the journey."

dougburger@dailynebraskan.com