NU volleyball hopes to ride momentum from Kansas win

Consider it one of the best points the Cornhuskers have lost all season.
Nebraska libero Kayla Banwarth dove to make the dig, but she fell short. Her teammates stood around her; they hadn't even flinched for the ball. Ready to react to Banwarth's play, Kori Cooper, Sydney Anderson and Hannah Werth waited. The ball hit the floor and put the score at Kansas 9, Nebraska 8.

"We just felt smoother. You notice we didn't have anyone crashing into each other," NU volleyball coach John Cook said. "We didn't have any balls dropping in between two passers."

Cook didn't dismiss all of his team's errors from its Wednesday win over the Jayhawks but said the night was a step in the right direction.

That one point set the tone for a NU team that showed confidence in each other and a belief in the game plan. Freshman outside hitter Werth said her team has begun to respond well during pressure situations and in practice.

"In those situations, everybody starts to trust more and the level keeps going up," Werth said. "But everybody still wants the ball."

Lying on the floor, Banwarth had allowed the point, but the radius given to her by her teammates indicated a step toward stronger team chemistry and trust.

Cook said his players followed the game plan well and that he was proud of the way his team finished games against the Jayhawks.

"We played really good volleyball from 20 (points) and on tonight," Cook said. "That's not something we've been doing all year."

NU's improvement, Cook said, was caused by increased intensity in practice and an added emphasis on errors through keeping tallies and having consequences. Cook said the visual of the number of errors committed in practice gave his team a new perspective.

While the Huskers still have room to improve in the service game, their 15 attacking errors was the first time the stat has dropped below 20 since their Sept. 16 sweep over Texas Tech.

In order to turn around an uncharacteristic four-loss start to the season, the Huskers hope to keep their momentum going into this weekend.

If there would ever be a time to solidify the positives in the Huskers' recent upswing, Cook's team will have the chance to do just that Saturday when NU hosts Kansas State.
Taking on a struggling 6-9 Wildcat team that is 0-5 in Big 12 Conference play, the Huskers will try to build off their  defeat over the Jayhawks.

"We developed the toughness muscle, and we need to keep building it each week," Cook said. "We need to find a way, whatever we have to do."

davehoufek@dailynebraskan.com