Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
Even without All-American middle blocker Andi Jackson, who missed the match nursing an ankle injury, the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team rolled past DePaul, 25-19, 25-13, 25-15, Friday in Chicago, Ill.
Harper Murray led the Cornhuskers (4-0) with 11 kills while adding six digs. Teraya Sigler was brutally efficient, tallying eight kills in 10 attacks. Kenna Cogill, pressed into the starting lineup with the injury to Jackson, led Nebraska with seven blocks. It was the Huskers’ most-efficient offensive match of the season, as Nebraska hit .434. The Huskers stifled the Blue Demons’ (4-1) offense, holding DePaul to .060 hitting while outblocking the Demons, 10-3.
DePaul led early and had the first set tied at 13 before Nebraska took over. The Huskers won seven of the next nine points to open a 20-15 lead. After a Blue Demons point, Nebraska won five of the next eight rallies to finish the first set.
The second started with NU and DePaul tied at four before the Huskers won eight of the next 10 rallies to build a 12-6 lead. The Demons cut the Nebraska lead to 14-10 before the Huskers won 11 of the next 14 rallies to finish the second set. In the third, the teams were tied at five until Nebraska ran three straight points to open an 8-5 lead. The teams kept pace with each other for a while, but a stretch where the Huskers won 12 of 15 rallies finished off the sweep.
About the only downside was Jackson’s absence, though in her pregame interview on the Huskers Radio Network, coach Dani Busboom Kelly said Jackson practiced with the team Friday and could be back for Nebraska’s next match, Sunday at Wrigley FIeld against Missouri. First serve is scheduled for 8 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. on KLIN and B-107.3.