Kenny Larabee, NRG Media
No look ahead for No. 1 Nebraska volleyball.
Despite a home match against top Big Ten challenger, No. 7 Wisconsin, looming on Saturday, the Cornhuskers swept No. 15 Indiana 25-15, 25-19, 25-19, Thursday night in Bloomington, Ind. The sweep was Nebraska’s (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten) sixth in a row. The Huskers have won 19 straight sets heading into the match with the Badgers.
Harper Murray led Nebraska on 11 kills on an efficient .364 hitting percentage. Teraya Sigler added 10 kills, while Manaia Ogbechie led NU with six blocks. Olivia Mauch led NU with three aces. Nebraska out-hit Indiana (10-4, 3-2), .379-.282, outblocked the Hoosiers five to two and outserved IU five aces to two. The match was completed in a brisk 89 minutes.
Nebraska wasted no time taking control of set one, bolting out to an 8-2 lead. The Hoosiers were never closer than four points at any point in the set after that. In the second, Indiana scored the first point before the Huskers ran five points in a row and eight of 10 to take control of the set. The Hoosiers got to within three points of Nebraska at 12-9, 13-10 and 14-11 before the Huskers pulled away. The third set started close until a five-point NU opened an 8-4 lead. A four-point IU run briefly put Indiana ahead 12-10. The teams tied the set at 14 before a four-point Huskers run opened a 19-15 lead. Nebraska scored five of the final seven points, closing the match with back-to-back combination blocks by Ogbechie and Kenna Cogill.
The Huskers now prepare to take on Wisconsin Saturday at John Cook Arena at 6 p.m. Pregame coverage begins at 5 p.m. on B-107.3.