Huskers Sweep No. 13 Wisconsin

Lincoln -- The fifth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team (8-2) notched its third victory over a ranked team this season with a 15-5, 15-9, 18-16 win over No. 13 Wisconsin (4-3) Wednesday night at the NU Coliseum. All-American Nancy Meendering recorded a match-high 17 kills for the Huskers, making it the eighth time in NU's 10 matches this season in which she has led the team in kills.

Junior outside hitter Angie Oxley added 10 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Jenny Kropp posted a career-high eight blocks for Nebraska, which held the Badgers to a .044 hitting percentage. Jenny Maastricht led Wisconsin with 13 kills.

Trailing 12-5 in the third, Nebraska rallied with a 9-2 run to tie the score a 14. The Badgers took a one-point lead after a NU setting error before the Huskers tied the score again with a kill by junior outside hitter Angie Oxley. Nebraska took a 16-15 lead when Meendering pounded a kill down the middle. A Nebraska hitting error and a Wisconsin block of Oxley tied the score once again. But the Huskers regained possession on another kill from Meendering. Junior right side hitter Katie Jahnke served the final two points of the match, and Meendering's third straight kill down the middle sealed the 18-16 victory.

"We put Meendering in the middle where she's a heck of a blocker and also does well in transition," NU Coach Terry Pettit said. "She was impressive."

In the second game, the two teams battled to a 6-6 tie before a thundering kill by Meendering sparked NU to 6-0 run. The Badgers fought back, cutting NU's advantage to 13-9 with a kill from Erin Byrd and two Nebraska attack errors. But Meendering came through for the Huskers, regaining possession for NU with her eighth kill of the match then serving the final two points of the 15-9 win.

Nebraska jumped to a quick start in the first game, scoring seven unanswered points to open the match. Wisconsin scored three straight points with the help of two block assists and a kill from Sherisa Livingston. But the Huskers regained possession on a block by Meendering and Kropp. NU outscored the Badgers 8-2 the rest of the way, with Wischmeier serving the final point in the 15-5 victory.

The match proved to be an emotional one for NU associate head coach John Cook, who joined the Huskers last spring after a seven-year coaching career at Wisconsin. Cook was on the Badgers' bench last season when Nebraska defeated them in an emotional five-game victory at the NU Coliseum last fall to advance to the Final Four.

"(Tonight) was very tough for me," Cook said. "I was happy that we won, but I felt bad for them. I was on their bench when they lost here last year, and I know what it was like. But I was very proud of their effort tonight. They didn't just throw in the towel after that first game."

Nebraska will take a week off before returning to action Sept. 22. NU will open it's Big 12 Conference schedule, playing host to Kansas State in a 7 p.m. match at the NU Coliseum.

"You couldn't have played a tougher schedule than we have up to this point," Pettit said. "We should be ready for the conference schedule."