Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
While their football counterparts were scrapping to a win at home over Maryland, the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team was blasting the volleyball Terrapins in College Park, Md., as the Cornhuskers swept UM 25-13, 25-20, 25-15 Saturday. The match was played in a brisk 79 minutes before a school-record crowd of 15,127 at the Xfinity Center.
Nebraska piled up 11 aces to Maryland’s one, while blocking the Terrapins 8-3 and outhitting them, .278-.117. Andi Jackson was a force for the Huskers, leading NU with 12 kills, five blocks and six service ace.
Set one was actually hotly contested early despite the lopsided final score, with six ties and five lead changes. Maryland led 6-5 early before a six-point Nebraska run opened an 11-6 lead. The Huskers took any doubt out of the set by winning nine of 11 points in a run to open a 22-11 lead. Maryland took the lead in set two, building a 14-12 advantage. But then Nebraska rallied, scoring 11 of the next 13 points to open a 23-16 edge. The Terps scored four of five points to stay alive before a Jackson kill finished off set two.
In the third set, Maryland scored the first four points and led 7-5 before a six-point Nebraska run swung the set back to the Huskers, 11-7. After a Terrapins point, three more rallies won by Nebraska opened the lead to 14-8. Maryland pulled to within four twice after that, but never got any closer. A six-point Husker run brought up matchpoint for NU. After misfiring on the first chance to finish the set, Skyler Pierce terminated to clinch the match for the Huskers.
Nebraska now prepares to take on Indiana Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Bloomington, Ind. Pregame coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. on KLIN and B-107.3.