Nebraska kept its unbeaten run alive on the road Tuesday night, taking down Northwestern in straight sets, 3-0. The result was clean in the standings, but the Huskers didn’t look quite as sharp as they had Saturday, even if they still found a way to control the match when it mattered.
The first two sets were the bumpiest for Nebraska. Bergen Reilly and Virginia Adriano both had stretches they’d probably like back. Reilly’s setting was a little off at times, which disrupted some of the connections, while Adriano had trouble finding her rhythm, sending balls long and into the net.
Even so, Nebraska kept answering. Whenever Northwestern grabbed some momentum, the Huskers usually snapped it right back with a run of their own. Northwestern even led by at least four points at one stage in the second set before Nebraska battled back, tied it, and moved in front.
The rotation also opened the door for several bench players, especially in the third set. Keoni Williams, Skyler Pierce, Keri Leimbach, Jayden Robinson, and Gabby DiVita all saw action there.
Without Manaia Ogbechie, Nebraska also had to adjust its lineup. Ogbechie missed the trip because of the flu, her second illness-related absence of the season after sitting out the Creighton match in September. That gave Kenna Cogill her second career start.
Offensively, it wasn’t Nebraska’s cleanest night. The Huskers finished with 15 hitting errors, five in each set, and hit .287%. For a team that usually lives above the .300 mark, especially against lower-ranked conference opponents, that was a modest night by its standards.
Still, the usual names showed up near the top of the box score. Andi Jackson led Nebraska with 10 kills, Harper Murray added 9, and Teraya Sigler finished with 8. Jackson also posted the team’s best hitting percentage among players with four or more kills, going .600%.
The extra playing time meant there were more opportunities spread around. Pierce finished with 4 kills, DiVita had 3, Williams added 2, and Reilly chipped in one.
Cogill had 3 kills but finished in the negative with 4 errors, while Adriano had 2 kills and 3 errors. Cogill more than made up for that on the defensive end, though, piling up a team-high 7 blocks. Jackson wasn’t far behind with 6.
The serving game remained a major weapon. Nebraska delivered 9 aces, with Reilly accounting for 3 of them, though the Huskers also had 8 service errors that helped Northwestern hang around longer than they otherwise might have.
Now Nebraska heads back to Lincoln and turns the page to Purdue, which comes to the Devaney Center on Saturday night. That match is set for 4:00pm CST and will be televised on B1G.
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Got A Break Before Oregon But The Challenge Remains
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Jamir Conn has been ruled out, which opens the door for other Nebraska players to take on more leadership as the Huskers get ready for one of their tougher tests of the season. Oregons quarterback situation is still unsettled, adding another layer of preparation for Nebraska, but Rhules message has been straightforward: stay locked in, handle the noise, and be ready for whatever version of the Ducks shows up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Real Shot To End Its Ranked-Game Misery
Nebraska heads into the Oregon matchup with more reason for optimism than it usually carries into a ranked showdown. The Huskers know quarterback Dylan Raiola well enough to at least feel comfortable with the challenge, and they have some offensive answers of their own if Anthony Colandrea can help keep the offense moving and the rushing game does its part.
Oregons recent turnover issues give Nebraska a path to stay in the game, and maybe more than that if the Huskers can capitalize when opportunities arrive. The bigger backdrop is impossible to ignore: Nebraska has spent too long coming up short against ranked opponents, and this one offers a chance to finally change that story. [Read more 🡒]