No. 2 Nebraska volleyball is 6-0 through three weeks of Big Ten play, but week four brings a new challenge.
This will be the second of three straight weekends the Huskers (16-1) play matches on back-to-back days, but after opening that stretch at the Devaney Center last weekend, they’re taking the show on the road this week.
Nebraska is in East Lansing for a 5 p.m. CT start against Michigan State Friday before heading to Columbus for a 2:30 CT start on Saturday against Ohio State.
“We’ve got the Spartans and the Buckeyes on the road, less than 24 hours in between,” Coach John Cook said. “So the Big Ten did us a lot of favors in the scheduling; we’re really excited about that. I think it’s going to be one of the most challenging road trips we’ve had, because of playing and then having to turn around and play at 3:30 [Eastern time] in the afternoon the next day, it makes a late night, trying to get up and then trying to work around Ohio State’s practice. So it’s going to be a challenging road trip.”
Lexi Rodriguez said the team has been preparing for how to handle back-to-back Big Ten matches since the season began, though Cook didn’t think his team was particularly sharp against Rutgers on Saturday last week, which he used as a teaching point.
The Huskers have had a home-heavy schedule so far this season with 13 of their 17 matches at the Devaney Center. They’ve already played half of their home conference matches, which leaves just five more over the last six weeks of the Big Ten slate.
“I think we really value having home games and having a home crowd, and it’s helped us win close matches, and we just love the energy,” Rodriguez said. “There are hard road environments that we’re going to have to play in and I think just kind of mentally preparing for not only are we going to go play back-to-back, but it’s two away games that we’re going to have to find our own energy and play against a tough crowd.”
Cook mixed up his lineup during last week’s back-to-back as both Lindsay Krause and Taylor Landfair in addition to all three middle blockers saw playing time. Cook said he’d like to settle on a lineup at some point soon, but he’s happy to take advantage of his roster’s depth whenever he thinks the situation may call for it.
Regardless of which hitters are in the lineup, they’ll have the reigning Big Ten Setter of the Week feeding them. Bergen Reilly earned her third weekly honor of the season from the conference after averaging 11.88 assists and 3.75 digs in a pair of Husker wins. She put up career-highs with 60 assists and 17 digs in Nebraska’s five-set win over No. 10 Purdue.
“She’s grown so much,” Rodriguez said. “She’s a lot more vocal, and she already had such a consistent and confident composure, but it’s even higher this year, and you can just feel that she believes in her hitters, she believes in her team, and she’s really taking ownership of the offense, the team, just every aspect on the court, because she’s involved in every single play. And so to have someone grow in that aspect, I think it’s helped our team a ton. So super proud of her.”
Harper Murray said she thinks Reilly is the best setter in the country.
“Re-watching film back, I watch plays and I’m like, ‘No other setter’s doing that,’” Murray said. “I think obviously Kelly [Hunter] and Coach train her every day and help her get better, but I think at the end of the day, Bergen wants to be the best, and Bergen pushes herself to do that, and she knows that we’re all around her, and that we’re going to be there to support her, especially in games. So I think we give her a lot of comfort knowing that we’re there, and I think that helps her trust us, and we trust her. So I think that’s what really makes her one of the best setters. But other than that, she’s just a hard worker.”
The Spartans (7-10, 0-6) sit in a tie for last place in the Big Ten, having lost seven straight heading into Friday’s match at the Breslin Center. Outside hitter Akasha Anderson leads the offense at 2.98 kills per set, though she’s only hitting .155. Libero Nalani Iosia leads the defense — and all Big Ten players — with 4.37 digs per set.
Chris Vosters and Emily Ehman have the call on Big Ten Network.
After facing the Big Ten’s leader in digs on Friday, the Huskers will contend with the league’s kills leader on Saturday afternoon as Emily Londot keys the Buckeye offense. The 6-foot-3 senior is averaging 4.55 kills per set on .231 hitting. After struggling to slow down Purdue’s prolific pins last week, the Husker defense will have to lock in against Londot and the Buckeyes (8-8, 1-5 Big Ten).
“She’s got every shot in the book, so as we say, all six on her,” Cook said. “Everybody’s got to be ready, because she’s going to make everybody have to dig a ball, and she’s got a heavy arm. She’s a good player. This is her fifth year? She’s a good player. She’s deceptive, how hard she hits, but she’s got every shot in the book, so she’s hard to defend. But that’s why we say all six.”
Saturday’s match will be another first for Nebraska volleyball as NBC will televise the match with Paul Sunderland, Holly McPeak and Heather Cox on the call. Cook’s looking forward to the match as he called Sunderland one of the best.
“I get to talk to Paul Sunderland,” Cook said. “He’s getting to do a Big Ten match, so he’s fired up. I know he’s been wanting to get into the Big Ten for a long time. It’ll be exciting to have him, he does the Olympics, and he’s been doing it a long time. I think it’s great for the sport that NBC is doing, I think, three matches.”
