Huskers Bounce Back With Sweep of Bulldogs

The Nebraska volleyball team swept The Citadel on Thursday, 25-14, 25-16, 25-16, in front of 8,607 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Huskers (4-1) started strong and never looked back, trailing for just four rallies the entire match. Nebraska posted 17 kills before suffering its first attacking error midway through the second set. Nebraska had five service aces in the first set to set the tone, and the Big Red surrendered no aces to The Citadel (2-2). 

Harper Murray had nine kills and 10 digs, and Merritt Beason and Leyla Blackwell added seven kills and four blocks apiece. Blackwell hit .600 in the match. Andi Jackson also had seven kills and hit .545. 

Taylor Landfair finished with six kills on nine swings (.667), and Lindsay Krause had four kills. 

Nebraska hit .367 and had its best defensive effort of the season by holding The Citadel to .122. Bergen Reilly dished out 36 assists and had seven digs and three aces. Lexi Rodriguez led the team in digs with 15. 

Nebraska had an 8-2 edge in blocks, 43-26 in kills and 42-37 in digs. 

Ali Ruffin had seven kills for the Bulldogs.

Set 1: The Huskers served their way to a quick lead, as two aces from Krause and one from Reilly made the score 6-1. Murray and Allick had kills around another ace by Reilly for a 14-7 Nebraska lead. A Jackson solo block and Murray ace gave NU a 21-11 advantage, and Allick and Reilly combined for a block to put the Huskers at set point. A Bulldog service error closed out the 25-14 victory. The Big Red hit .550 in the set, while holding the Bulldogs to .100. NU served five aces and allowed none in the opening frame. 

Set 2: Beason was responsible for three of the Huskers’ first six points of the second set, posting a solo block, an assisted block with Blackwell and a kill to make the score 6-1. Reilly’s third ace of the match and a Beason/Blackwell block gave NU a 14-6 lead. Taylor Landfair accounted for two straight NU points, registering her first two kills of the match to put the score at 22-14. Jackson’s fifth kill gave Nebraska set point, and the Big Red took the set, 25-16, off of a Bulldog hitting error. 

Set 3: The Huskers went on a 5-0 run to grab a 10-6 edge, sparked by two kills from Landfair, a solo block from Blackwell and a Landfair/Blackwell block. Kills from Murray and Beason put NU ahead 16-10, and a Landfair kill put the score at 18-11 and forced a Bulldog timeout. The Big Red maintained the lead for the rest of the set, and two straight Blackwell kills set up match point. Blackwell’s seventh kill of the match closed out the 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-16) victory for Nebraska.

Up Next: Nebraska will continue the Husker Invitational with a match against Montana State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The match will be televised on Nebraska Public Media and streamed on B1G+. Huskers Radio Network will carry all the action. 

Fans are reminded that volleyball season parking passes are honored for use on home football crossover days.