OMAHA -- In front of a rambunctious, rowdy red crowd, the Nebraska volleyball team took the court for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) showcase on Friday at Qwest Center Omaha.
The echoing chants of the Husker faithful were quickly silenced.
The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan played streak-stopper when they defeated the Cornhuskers in three straight sets. Despite the upset, the weekend was not a total letdown because the Huskers were able to salvage a win over No. 11 Minnesota.
The loss to Michigan marked the Huskers first season-opening loss since 1999 and the first under coach John Cook’s 10-year tenure at Nebraska.
It is also the first time the Huskers have been swept since a 3-0 loss to Texas in 2007.
Nebraska was one of four teams to compete in the annual AVCA Showcase. Among the No. 3 ranked Huskers were three other top-25 teams, including Michigan, Kansas State and Minnesota.
Coming into Friday’s match-up, Michigan had never taken a single set victory over the Huskers in three previous meetings. That all quickly changed.
Set number one would prove to be Nebraska’s best set of the evening.
After four tied points and two lead changes, NU dropped the first set 25-23. Junior Lindsey Licht led the squad with five kills, while freshman Hannah Werth and senior Kori Cooper both had four.
Things then quickly went downhill for Nebraska.
Errors contributed in the Huskers’ 25-21 loss of set number two. After six errors in first set, NU committed nine in the second.
The Wolverines would go on to take the third and final set 25-17 for the match victory.
Aside from the opening set, the Huskers were unable to find any offensive rhythm. Michigan out-hit the Nebraska .250-.133, including a final set where Michigan posted a .478 hitting percentage.
“We got a good old butt-kicking (Friday night),” Cook said. “Michigan brought it and played great tonight. They put a lot of pressure on us, and we did not do a very good job of handling it.”
Junior co-captain Sydney Anderson explained how a lack of upperclassmen leadership was a problem on the court. Anderson said that on a young team, like Nebraska’s, the upperclassmen are going to be the first ones looked up to. She felt the six Husker upperclassmen did not step up the way they needed to.
“I think Coach said it pretty well,” Anderson said. “We didn’t play as a team tonight. It was not just one person. It was all of us (upperclassmen). There were six individuals out there and not a team.”
Nebraska did not have much time to heal their wounds.
Saturday night, the team had to find some way to overcome the upset and battle No. 11 Minnesota.
Led by junior All-American Tara Mueller, the Huskers came out looking to drown the sorrows of the previous night with a 25-20 opening set victory.
Mueller led the way with eight kills and a .800 hitting percentage. Anderson also played a vital role with 16 assists.
In the second set, the Huskers were unable to stop an 11-1 gopher rally. Up 13-9, Nebraska would allow Minnesota to eventually take an 18-14 lead.
Offensively, junior Lindsey Licht led the team with three kills and a .375 hitting percentage in the second set.
Nebraska would come storming back in set three with a rally of their own.
Powered by sophomore Jordan Wilberger, the Huskers busted open a 5-0 run in the middle of the set. Wilberger had four kills and a perfect hitting percentage. Fellow sophomore Brooke Delano also pitched in, adding five kills and a .556 hitting percentage.
With the nearly 6,000 fans in attendance on their feet, Wilberger killed the final point of the set, putting NU up two games to one.
The excitement of the previous set was not enough to propel Nebraska onto a fourth set victory. The squad posted a team hitting percentage of -.103. The Gophers won 25-15, forcing a fifth and final set.
In the final set of the night, the Huskers jumped out early to a 3-0 lead before Anderson committed her third service error of the game. NU would go on to rally when it mattered at the end of the set, taking the final five points. Delano had two kills in the game-ending rally, which solidified the team’s first win of the season.
“I thought it was a great match,” said Cook. “You hope you get in matches like this at this time of year. It really builds a lot of character and brings your team together.”
jaybsloan@dailynebraskan.com
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