 Fien |  Rolfzen |  Rolfzen |
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1 2 3
Denver (NR) 15 17 21
NEBRASKA (11) 25 25 25
----------------------------- | ||
The Huskers improved to 4-2, serving up a season-high 11 aces to match the most since 2005. Kelsey Fien led the NU attack with 11 kills and has now led the Huskers in kills in four of the five matches she's played this season. Kadie Rolfzen had nine kills and hit a team-best .364. She added 10 digs for a double-double. Amber Rolfzen had six kills and 10 digs. Melanie Keil had a career-high eight kills and single-handedly outblocked Denver, which had seven blocks total. NU hit .281 for the match, while the Pioneers hit .153.
But the story of the night was Nebraska's serving. The Huskers set the tone with five aces to account for half of their first 10 points to start the first set. Annika Albrecht, Justine Wong-Orantes and Mary Pollmiller each had three to lead NU. Wong-Orantes led the Huskers with 12 digs. Pollmiller had 28 assists.
Denver (5-3) was led by Ruth Okoye, who had 11 kills.
The Huskers were off and running in the first set after Pollmiller served up back-to-back aces to start the match. After Denver briefly tied it 2-2, the Huskers scored the next four to go up 6-2, keyed by consecutive aces again, this time by Albrecht. NU's fifth ace of the set, courtesy of Amber Rolfzen, made it 10-4 and forced a Denver timeout. The Big Red built the lead to 18-8 and maintained the margin for a 25-15 victory. The Huskers' five service aces in the set matched their season high for a match set against Eastern Kentucky last weekend. Nebraska hit .370 in the first set and committed no errors on 27 attacks.
Nebraska again jumped in front 2-0 in set two but this time never let the Pioneers even it up, cruising to a 9-2 lead with two kills each from Fien and Keil and back-to-back aces by Wong-Orantes. Nebraska pushed the lead to eight, 11-3, on another ace from Amber Rolfzen. Kadie Rolfzen's swing made it 20-10 and she added another kill to make it 21-12, and Fien scored two of the Huskers' final three points to finish out a 25-17 win.
The third set was much more competitive, as Denver took an early 4-2 lead before the Huskers rallied to tie it at 4-4 on an ace from Albrecht. The Huskers gained a little separation after Fien, Keil and Kadie Rolfzen strung together kills for an 11-8 lead. Denver got within two points midway through the set, but the Big Red pulled away to a 23-18 lead before finishing out the sweep.
The Huskers are back in action Saturday against Colgate at 7 p.m. to finish out the tournament. Colgate and Denver begin a tripleheader Saturday with an 11 a.m. match. Akron and Denver play at 4:30 p.m.
Earlier on Friday, Colgate defeated Akron 25-22, 25-17, 25-16 to improve to 3-2 on the season. Akron fell to 5-4.