Stats & coverage
Oct. 27, 2001
Huskers sweep Kansas State
Lincoln -- Nancy Metcalf pounded 17 kills while swinging
at a .500 clip to lead the No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team to a 30-24,
30-13, 30-23, victory over Kansas State Saturday night before 4,211 fans
at the NU Coliseum. With the victory, Nebraska improved to 19-1 overall
and 12-0 in the Big 12 Conference and extended its NCAA-leading streak
of consecutive home wins to 40. The Huskers have won 17 straight contests
and 42 consecutive Big 12 matches.
Junior middle blocker
Amber Holmquist added 11 kills on a .474 hitting percentage and posted
a match-high seven blocks in the winning effort. Junior setter Greichaly
Cepero had an impressive all-around night, posting 35 assists, six digs,
three blocks and four kills while swinging at a .444 clip. Cepero led
NU to a .297 mark at the net. Junior outside hitter Laura Pilakowski
recorded nine kills and a team-high 13 digs.
Defensively, Nebraska
held KSU to a .022 hitting percentage as four Wildcats hit for a negative
percentage. The Huskers out-blocked KSU 12-5.5.
Liz Wegner produced
a team-best nine kills but committed 10 errors for Kansas State, which
fell to 12-7 overall and 8-5 in the league.
"I thought
we gave a great effort tonight," NU Coach John Cook said. "We
played with a lot of emotion, and the crowd was just wired. I think
maybe some of that was left over from the excitement of the football
game. It was great to see."
Tied at 15 in game
one, Nebraska's Anna Schrad reeled off seven straight from behind the
service line to give the Huskers' a 22-15 advantage, and Pilakowski
accounted for three kills during the run. Pilakowski and Metcalf provided
key offensive plays down the stretch as NU took a 27-24 lead. Back-to-back
kills by Jenny Kropp and Metcalf forced a game-point situation, and
Metcalf secured the 30-24 first-game victory with her seventh kill of
the game.
The Huskers swung
for a .353 hitting percentage in game one, led by Holmquist (three kills,
.750 pct.) and Metcalf (seven kills, .667 pct.). Defensively, NU held
KSU to .040 at the net.
Nebraska dominated
game two from beginning to end. The Huskers used 5-0 and 7-0 runs to
breeze to a 20-7 lead. Kansas State scored on an error, but NU regained
control on a kill by Metcalf. The Hull, Iowa, native used her jump serve
to keep the Wildcats off-balance, serving six straight to bring the
Huskers within three points of closing the game. KSU scored on a kill
by Lisa Mimick and a net violation call against Nebraska, but Holmquist
slammed a kill to put the Huskers up, 28-10. Pilakowski forced game-point
with her eighth kill, and after Kansas State thwarted the Huskers twice,
Pilakowski wrapped up the 30-13, second-game win with a kill.
"I thought
Nebraska was very impressive in the second game," Kansas State
Coach Suzie Fritz said. "Nebraska is very talented, and when they
are in system like they were in that second game, they're the best team
in the country."
Nebraska hit .417
in game two, compared to minus -.029 for KSU.
The Huskers trailed
early in game three, spotting Kansas State five points, but sophomore
Amy Sibbernsen came off the bench to serve four straight points, tying
the game at 8-8. The score was tied seven more times before Nebraska
began to pull away. With the score at 22 all, Schrad sparked a 6-0 run
with a kill that fell in the deep corner of the court. The Huskers wrapped
up the 30-23, third-game win and the match.
Nebraska will enjoy
an off-Wednesday this week before returning to action Saturday, Nov.
3 when it travels to Austin, Texas, to take on the Longhorns. Nebraska
defeated Texas, 3-0, Oct. 17 in Lincoln.
Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.
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