Match day: Nebraska volleyball takes on Miami in second round of NCAA Tournament
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska volleyball team will look to continue its NCAA Tournament run in the second round against Miami at 7 p.m. in the Bob Devaney Center.
The Huskers are coming off a dominating sweep in the opening round over Florida A&M, beating them 25-3, 25-9, 25-17.
Nebraska allowed just 29 total points throughout the entire match, setting a program record for least amount of points allowed in a match.
The Huskers also broke a program record in set one, only allowing three points, which marks the least amount of points allowed in a single set.
SEE ALSO: Nebraska volleyball team gets second No. 1 seed in NCAA Volleyball Tournament
Defense was the focal point for the Huskers in night one of the tournament. The Huskers held the Rattlers to a -.043% attack percentage, marking the second-straight match Nebraska has held its opponent to a negative hitting percentage.
With the win, Nebraska improved to 30-2 on the season. Nebraska has now won 30 or more games for the 25th time in program history.
Scouting Miami
The Hurricanes are coming off a first-round sweep over South Dakota State. Miami beat the Jackrabbits 25-17, 25-23, 25-15 at the Devaney Center.
Miami finished the regular season with a 21-10 record and secured an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row.
The Hurricanes were able to make it to the second round last year before falling to Wisconsin.
Miami’s resume includes wins over then-No. 1 Texas on Sept. 7 and No. 5 Stanford on Nov. 1. They beat both those teams in five sets.
Flomarie Heredia Colon ranks second in the ACC and 35th in the Nation with 4.30 kills per set.
Teammate Grace Lopez adds 3.54 kills per set.
Rotation Rundown
Harper Murray: The outside hitter is the team leader in kills at 3.28 per set. Murray also leads the team in aces with 30. She is one of the top six rotation players in the entire country. Murray has improved her defense since last season, adding 2.28 digs per set.
Merritt Beason: Beason is a close second on the team with 2.99 digs per set. The two-year captain has served 25 aces this season and adds 1.24 digs per set.
Andi Jackson: The powerful middle blocker is an offensive nightmare for opponents, tallying 2.58 kills per set with a .442% hitting percentage, which ranks first in the Big Ten.
Rebekah Allick: Allick is the defensive anchor, averaging 1.38 blocks per set. She has moved into the top 10 in school history in career blocks at No. 8 with 387.
Bergen Reilly: Reilly averages 11.12 assists per set, which ranks eighth in the nation and first in the Big Ten. The two-time Big Ten Setter of the Year adds 2.89 digs per set and has racked up 20 aces this season.
Lexi Rodriguez: Rodriguez was named the 2024 Big Ten Libero of the Year and leads the Huskers’ back row with 3.80 digs per set. She ranks No. 2 in school history in career digs with 1.819.
Match Predictions
Nate Johnson: Huskers sweep, 3-0
Jake Homan: Huskers sweep, 3-0
Mark Fischer: Huskers sweep, 3-0
