Total dominance. In front of a delirious Devaney Center crowd Sunday, Nebraska volleyball swept Wisconsin for the third time this season, 26-24, 25-17, 25-21, clinching a bid to volleyball’s final four next week in Louisville. It’s the 18th trip to the national semifinals in program history, including the seventh in the last 10 years.
Once again, the Cornhuskers (33-2) defense suffocated its opponent, holding the Badgers (26-7) to .126 hitting while outblocking UW 12-9. The front row became almost impenetrable in the final set, as Nebraska recorded eight blocks in the final set, including the last two points to clinch the match and three of the last four rallies. After Rebekah Allick and Harper Murray stuffed Devyn Robinson to bring it to 23-20 in the third, Wisconsin scored its last point, followed by back-to-back blocks, first by Allick and Merritt Beason, then Murray and Andi Jackson to finish the match and send the Huskers to Kentucky.
The match started as a close battle. Wisconsin led 13-11 early, then 14-12 in set one. But Nebraska took control of the set, winning nine of the next 11 rallies to grab the upper hand. The Badgers were able to equal the set winning five of six rallies to tie the set at 24. But a Wisconsin service error brought up set point, and Taylor Landfair closed a six-kill set by terminating to clinch the set one win.
The strong finish to set one seemed to carry the Huskers early in set two. Nebraska won eight of the first 10 rallies and ripped open a 14-4 lead midway through set two. The Badgers shrunk Nebraska’s lead to five on a couple of occasions but drew no closer and set two was a comfortable victory.
Wisconsin held early control in set three, building a 15-11 lead to trigger the media timeout. But four straight points including two Murray kills evened the third at 15. The Badgers won the next rally, but the Huskers responded by winning four of the next five to open a 20-17 lead. Wisconsin was twice within two points and once cut Nebraska’s lead to 21-20, but the Huskers won four of the last five points to clinch the victory.
Landfair led Nebraska with 13 kills. Jackson added 10 kills on .474 hitting with five blocks. Murray, named the Most Outstanding Player of the regional, turned in a double-double with 10 kills and 12 blocks along with four blocks. Allick, a Nebraska native, led NU in blocks with six while tallying five kills. Bergen Reilly had 29 assists to go with four blocks while Lexi Rodriguez piled up a team-leading 17 digs. The Badgers were led by Sarah Franklin with 12 kills while CC Crawford added five blocks.
Nebraska now advances to the NCAA semifinals Thursday in Louisville. The Huskers will take on the winner of Creighton and Penn State in one of two national semifinals. Two ACC teams, Louisville and Pitt, will square off in the other national semifinal. The national championship match is Sunday in Louisville.