No. 3 Nebraska fends off No. 7 Ohio State in five-set marathon that delivers on hype

Nebraska and Ohio State battled late into the evening on Saturday in a three-hour, five-set match worthy of two top-10 groups with rosters stuffed with present and future All-Individuals.

No. 3 Nebraska didn’t have its greatest stuff, and isn’t even near the place it want to be within the fifth week of the season, however confirmed quite a lot of struggle in not letting a handful of unhealthy moments sink the Huskers in opposition to No. 7 Ohio State.

So when it was over Nebraska received to have fun a five-set win with 8,300 followers. Nebraska gained 25-22, 24-26, 19-25, 25-20, 15-13, protecting the Huskers in a type of way-too-early leads atop the Huge Ten standings at 2-0.

With all the tough stretches — 17 balls hit out, Ohio State ideas dropping for kills, huge leads given away — and trailing within the match 2-1, Nebraska may have let up. However coach John Cook dinner stated the Huskers performed with grit, coronary heart, and for his or her teammates.

“They might have simply packed it in,” Cook dinner stated. “So nice job by our staff.”

It was scene value of one of many NCAA regional matches at Devaney in years previous.

After Nebraska gained the fourth set to pressure a fifth, the Husker followers stood the complete break. The Timmy Trumpet tune sweeping the sports activities world blared. The Nebraska gamers stood too, with no gamers sitting on the bench like regular. It was sport day manufacturing on overdrive, and everyone was loving it.

Madi Kubik led the Huskers with 16 kills, and Lindsay Krause had 9. Whitney Lauenstein got here up huge within the fifth set, a part of her seven kills and 4 blocks. Freshman Bekka Allick had eight blocks

Ohio State topped the Huskers 64-46 in kills. The Buckeyes had three gamers high 10 kills, led by exterior hitter Jenaisya Moore with 21. Emily Londot had 17.

All-American setter Mac Podraza had 54 assists, and at occasions received her hitters in some good one-on-one matchups.

Within the fifth set, Nebraska received the early lead when Kenzie Knuckles dropped an ace serve within the again nook of the court docket. Later Allick put down a kill on a fast set from Anni Evans, and Krause completely crushed a cross-court kill.

Ohio State reclaimed an 11-9 lead, earlier than Lauenstein had one other huge second in her younger profession, getting a no-doubt kill, after which a block that helped Nebraska take again the 12-11 lead.

“We didn’t give (Lauenstein) very many beauty, however she received an amazing take a look at the tip and had an enormous kill for us,” Cook dinner stated.

Ohio State had two pricey serving errors down the stretch, and 20 for the match. The Buckeyes received its defect to 14-13. On an extended match level, Nebraska didn’t convert a free ball likelihood, however nonetheless gained the purpose and when Kubik blocked Londot.

“We made performs in sport 5, and we received them to offer us a number of factors,” Cook dinner stated.

Cook dinner will come to observe subsequent week with an extended record of issues to work on. However the Huskers grew up a bit of on Saturday.

“It proves to us that we are able to out-team folks and we are able to out-grit folks,” Kubik stated. “And after we’re taking part in actually good volleyball, and we’ve that piece to, I feel we will be unstoppable.”

Cook dinner even confirmed some emotion within the locker room after the match, coming sooner or later after he reached 800 profession wins throughout a sweep of Michigan State.

“801 is quite a bit higher than 800 although, I’ll inform you that,” Cook dinner stated. “That was a troublesome match to look at as a result of we struggled. I received emotional simply because I’m so pleased with them and the way they fought by means of it. That’s type of been one thing that we’re attempting to develop with this staff.”

How the third set went down would have haunted Nebraska had it misplaced the match. Ohio State had gained the second set to tie the match, however Nebraska regarded like it might rapidly take again momentum.

To begin the third set Nebraska led 5-0, however then the Huskers let Ohio State off the hook. The Buckeyes gained 11 of the following 14 rallies to take an 11-8 lead. Londot was heating up. Ohio State gained the set 25-19 to take a 2-1 match lead.

Nebraska’s 15 blocks helped the Huskers keep within the match regardless of having 18 fewer kills than Ohio State.

“We had been blocking every little thing, and that’s one of many benefits of working a 6-2 is we’ve received quite a lot of physicality on the internet,” Cook dinner stated.

Now Nebraska will attempt to hold getting higher, realizing the Huge Ten season will convey extra matches like this for the Huskers.

“I don’t assume we’re wherever near what we will be,” Cook dinner stated. “And quite a lot of that can come right down to setting, that getting higher. As soon as we get that our hitter can get extra confidence and take huge swings and use the block. Plenty of occasions tonight they’re simply attempting to maintain it in. however Kennedi (Orr) performed nice in sport 5, and so did Anni. In order that they received to take quite a lot of confidence from this.”