Reilly: ‘full-circle moment’ to play in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Bergen Reilly and the Nebraska volleyball team played in her hometown, Sioux Falls, Saturday afternoon – marking a special moment for the setter.

“It feels just kind of like a full-circle moment to be able to start off my senior year back in my hometown,” Reilly said.

The Cornhuskers’ exhibition match against Iowa State sold out within minutes as fans decked out in red and white piled into the Sanford Pentagon to cheer on Reilly and the Huskers to a sweep.

“It was a lot of emotions,” Reilly said. “I would say definitely some nerves. I felt like everywhere I looked in the crowd, I saw some what I knew, which is not normal. So that was really cool. But yeah, like I said, I think just everyone knew that this was going to be special for me, and they did a really good job of making it feel that way.”

Photo Gallery: Nebraska vs. Iowa State match

“It’s always really special being in your hometown,” Nebraska head coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. “I know the Sioux Falls people, they travel to Nebraska frequently to watch us and watch her. But to do it in your hometown, where there’s a lot of pride and is pretty special for her.”

The match was the O’Gorman product’s first time back playing in Sioux Falls. To see more than 3,000 fans turn out for her return, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year reflected on the impact she and this match have had on the community.

“Coach texted me yesterday, Coach [John] Cook, and he said when I was recruiting you, you said you wanted to put Sioux Falls on the map for volleyball,” Reilly said. “And I feel like this was another step in the right direction there. And just seeing how many people care. And it’s sold out so quick, I think that it’s really going in the right direction. And it makes me really happy to see.”

Reilly and Nebraska will be back in South Dakota in September when they visit SDSU.