Nebraska volleyball heading to National Championship

No. 10 Nebraska upset No. 3 in the NCAA Regional Semifinal (16-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22) to advance to the national championship match. 

COLUMBUS, Oh. (KLKN) – No. 10 Nebraska upset No. 3 in the NCAA Regional Semifinal (16-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22) to advance to the national championship match.

Set One:
Pitt got off to a hot start in the first set jumping out to a 5-1 lead. Nebraska would start eat away at the lead thanks back-to-back aces from Madi Kubik, but the Panthers would go on a run making it 13-8. Nebraska would get within three on a block from Kayla Caffey, but Pitt would end the set with an ace, 25-16. Nebraska only hit .167 as a team while Pitt’s hitting percentage was just shy of .500.

Set Two:
Nebraska bounced back to start the second set. The Huskers block attack improved drastically in set two as Pitt only hit .161. Kubik and Stivrins led the way for Nebraska as the Huskers collectively hit .458. The Husker improved in all-aspects to even the match at one set-a-piece.

Set Three:
It was a back-and-forth battle to start the third set. Caffey started to settle in as she finished the set with six kills. The Huskers hit a turning point mid-way through the set when Nicklin Hames won a battle at the net to give Nebraska a one-point lead. Stivrins would then go on a 6-0 from the service line featuring an ace and a back-row kill to lead Nebraska to a 25-20 victory.

Set Four:
The Huskers were in a groove during the fourth set with a trip to the national championship on the line. Nebraska went on a 3-0 run to start the match with Kenzie Knuckles serving up the Husker’s fifth ace of the match. Knuckles also recorded a kill from the back row giving Nebraska a four-point lead. Pitt would go on a run late in the set to tie it at 20, but Krause gives Nebraska the advantage with a huge block.

Nebraska will face No. 4 Wisconsin on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT in the NCAA Volleyball National Championship in Columbus, Ohio.