Another Top-5 Sweep for Nebraska Volleyball; Huskers Dominate Louisville Cardinals

Nebraska volleyball flexes its muscle in the first-ever regular-season match on ABC with a sweep over No. 4 Louisville

Enrique Alvarez-Clary | Sep 22, 2024

Nebraska volleyball players celebrate a point against Louisville. / Nebraska Athletics

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Nebraska volleyball on ABC made things look as easy as 1-2-3.

Another top-five opponent, another sweep for the No. 5 Huskers. Just four days after sweeping No. 2 Stanford, Nebraska swept No. 4 Louisville 25-16, 25-17, and 25-20.

The Huskers were out-hit by their opponent, 105-95, and out-killed, 39-36, but played a much cleaner match than the Cardinals. Nebraska committed only seven attacking errors, compared to Louisville’s 25.

The Blackshorts defense had another dominant performance, finishing with 38 digs and nine blocks while stifling an explosive Louisville offense, holding them to a .133 hitting percentage.

Bergen Reilly quarterbacked the Nebraska offense to a .305 hitting percentage with 25 kills, while remaining aggressive and putting down four kills. Harper Murray led the way with 11 kills while hitting .290 followed by Merritt Beason who finished with nine kills and four blocks.

Nebraska outside hitter Harper Murray (27) is seen during the first set of the game against Wisconsin on Friday November 24, 2023 at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis. / Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Andi Jackson continued her torrid start to her sophomore season with six kills on a .545 hitting percentage and four blocks. Lindsay Krause was a massive bright spot for the Big Red as she collected four service aces to go along with her five kills.

Rebekah Allick was her usual force at the net, leading both teams with five blocks.

Lindsay Krause celebrates a kill in the first set. / Amarillo Mullen

Nebraska returns home for its next match. This will be the first meeting with UCLA as a member of the Big Ten Conference, on Friday Sept. 27.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Set Synopses

Set 1: Louisville led 5-3 before a 4-0 run served by Murray that included kills by Murray and Krause. With NU ahead 9-8, Krause served a 7-0 run that made it 16-8. Allick had a solo block, Beason and Reilly had a block, Murray posted a kill, and Krause served an ace to force two Louisville timeouts during her service run. A kill by Jackson and ace by Beason increased NU's lead to 20-11, and Murray served an ace to make it 22-12. Louisville scored three in a row before Jackson terminated for a sideout, and Reilly dumped a kill for set point. Krause put the set away, 25-16, with a kill. NU outhit Louisville .320 to .105.

Set 2: Krause had a kill, and after a block by Allick and Beason, served three straight aces for a 5-2 Husker lead. After a Murray kill made it 7-3, Rodriguez took the service line and ripped off a 6-0 run for a 12-3 advantage. She served one ace, and Murray had a kill, while Beason and Jackson combined for a block. Nebraska led 17-7 when Louisville scored four points in a row to get within 17-11. Reilly dumped a kill for sideout, and Beason terminated back-to-back kills before Krause added another to restore a double-digit lead, 21-11. Beason tallied two more kills for set point, 24-15, and a Murray kill finished it off, 25-17.

Set 3: Louisville led 10-7 when kills by Beason and Murray cut the deficit to one. A kill by Beason and a block by Jackson and Reilly tied the score at 11-11. Louisville went back ahead 12-11, but Jackson had two kills and a solo block for a 15-12 Husker lead at the media timeout. The Cardinals answered with a 4-1 spurt to tie the score at 16-16, and the Huskers took a timeout. Louisville then committed three straight hitting errors, and Beason terminated for a 20-16 Husker advantage. Krause and Murray tacked on kills to take the lead to 23-19, and Jackson and Reilly stuffed an attack for match point. Murray finished the match, 25-20, with her 11th kill.

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Published Sep 22, 2024|Modified Sep 22, 2024

ENRIQUE ALVAREZ-CLARY

Enrique Alvarez-Clary, better known as Rico, is the Assistant Program Director at 93.7 The Ticket in Lincoln, Nebraska as well as the Executive Producer for the Supernovas Radio Network which broadcasts every Omaha Supernovas match during the inaugural season of the Professional Volleyball Federation. A native of Nebraska, Rico first graduated from the prestigious Bellevue West High School and went on to graduate from the University of Nebraska-Kearney where he also competed in Track & Field. Being behind the scenes for so long, Enrique has shifted into a more on-air role co-hosting the "Happy Hour" and lending his voice to many other shows on 93.7. Enrique focuses his coverage of Nebraska on football, volleyball, mens & womens basketball, softball, and track and field. When Enrique isn't covering Huskers Athletics you can find him hanging out with his wife Rachael and their two children Elliot (daughter) and Kade (son). Rico can be reached at rique2688@gmail.com or on Twitter/X @RadioRicoAC