The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team looked sharp in Wednesday night's win over the Baylor Bears as the team logged its sixth straight sweep, defeating the Bears 25-14, 25-11 and 25-20.
The Cornhuskers improved to 18-0 (9-0 Big 12 Conference) with the win. The Bears' record fell to 12-6 (4-4 Big 12), the team's third straight league loss.
Senior Jordan Larson led NU's attack after smashing 16 kills on a .355 hitting percentage. Junior Kori Cooper and sophomore Tara Mueller both contributed 8 kills a piece.
Briana Tolbert and Katie Sanders led Baylor with 5 kills.
At Tuesday's press conference, NU Coach John Cook said his squad was going to watch for Baylor's Anna Breyfogle, who ranks among the conference's leaders in kills and hitting percentage.
Breyfogle finished the night with four kills on an abysmal .048 hitting night.
"We didn't want her to beat us," Cook said. "We were putting two blockers on her, trying to be in front of her every time she swung."
Cook said Breyfogle only beat the Huskers twice all night.
Larson said shutting down Breyfogle and the rest of the Baylor attack boiled down to teamwork.
"I think we were getting good touches on a lot of hitters," Larson said. "When our block wasn't there, our defense was. That was key for us tonight."
Baylor was ranked in the top three of several league statistical categories before tonight's match, including third in attack percentage (.257), second in opponent hitting percentage (.157) and first in blocks (2.68).
However, it was Nebraska that put up the impressive numbers.
NU held Baylor to a zero hitting percentage on the night, collected 11 total team blocks and finished the night with a .269 hitting percentage.
It was the lowest hitting percentage Nebraska has held a Big 12 foe to in the team's last 58 matches.
NU held Texas Tech to a -.019 attacking percentage in the 2005 season.
"I think (the level of play) was a reflection of practice this week," Larson said. "I think practice has been intense, and we've gotten after it every day, and I think it's a complete reflection of it today and how we were practicing."
While sophomore Lindsay Licht may have only recorded four kills on the night, it was her solo block in the first set that gave NU momentum and drew a roar from the sold-out crowd in the NU Coliseum.
Baylor's Ashlie Christenson set up to smash a kill, but Licht was right there to greet her on the opposite side of the net.
"Oh my goodness." Larson said. "We came into the timeout, and Cook said 'next play, next play,' and we were like 'are you serious?' That was the sweetest block ever. The ball landed before (Licht) did."
But Cook knew he needed to quickly refocus his players.
"I was worried that play may linger for a while and we'd lose our focus on what we were supposed to be doing," Cook said. "They were real giddy in the timeout."
The block put Nebraska ahead 14-7, and from there, the team never looked back. NU went on to win 11 of the final 18 rallies to close out the set 25-14.
In the second match Nebraska came right back out and thumped the Bears again, holding them to a -.028 hitting percentage. The Huskers won the second set 25-11.
Towards the end of the third set, things began to unravel for NU, and the Bears clawed their way back into the match. But Nebraska's tough play on both sides of the ball wore down the Bears, who eventually lost the third set 25-20.
"The things we did on our side of the net tonight we did at very a high level," Cook said. "Until the third game there, we did it for a long period of time.
Knowing the team would finally have an off week after playing six matches during a 15-day span, Cook said the team truly answered the call of playing great volleyball.
"We challenged them with making this their best effort in the last (six) matches," Cook said. "They know they're going into a break, and I think they (knew) what Baylor was capable of."
"They came out with energy and fire and played Husker volleyball (Wednesday night).
nickfilipowski@dailynebraskan.com
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