Nebraska breaks NCAA attendance record in win over Colorado

Lincoln, Neb. -- An NCAA regular-season, record-breaking crowd of 12,504 fans cheered the top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 15-12, 15-3, 15-13 win over Colorado Saturday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The attendance mark smashed the previous record of 11,529, which was set Oct. 22, 1995 at the Nebraska-Colorado match at the Devaney Center.

The record-breaking crowd was the second-largest overall in NCAA history, trailing only he 13,194 fans who attended the 1998 NCAA Championship match between Long Beach State and Penn State in Madison, Wis.

Nebraska Coach John Cook said he wanted to play at the Devaney Center in hopes of creating an atmosphere similar to the that of the NCAA Final Four. The Huskers normally play at the 4,200-seat NU Coliseum.

"When I drove up to the Devaney Center at 5:30, there were people lined up to the street waiting to get in," Nebraska Cook said. "That's when I sensed that we would be involved in making volleyball history.

"This is going to be big news in the volleyball world," Cook said. "Volleyball needs this kind of attention. And what's even more impressive about the crowd is the fact that there were no special promotions tonight. We didn't give away any tickets. Everyone in the crowd paid to be here, and that really means something."

Laura Pilakowski and Greichaly Cepero each posted double-doubles to lead the Huskers, who improved to 23-0 overall and 14-0 in the Big 12 Conference. NU recorded its 19th sweep of the season and its 13th sweep over a league opponent.

A sophomore outside hitter, Pilakowski pounded a match-high 22 kills on .404 hitting and posted 12 digs. Cepero, NU's sophomore setter, was just one kill short of her third triple-double of the season, posting 50 assists, 15 digs and nine kills. Cepero led NU to a .314 team hitting percentage, the 17th time this season that she has led the Huskers to .300 hitting or better.

Sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist totaled 14 kills on a match-best .545 hitting efficiency while recording a match-high seven blocks. Junior middle blocker Jenny Kropp added 13 kills and five blocks.

Defensively, NU out-blocked Colorado 13.5-5.5. The Huskers had 77 digs to the Buffaloes' 70.

Colorado, which fell to 11-10 overall and 7-7 in the conference, was led by Sonja Nielsen's 15 kills. Nielsen also posted a match-best 18 digs.

The Buffaloes, who fell to Nebraska in a quick three-game match Sept. 27 in Boulder, posed a bigger threat to NU Saturday night. Colorado stormed back from a 11-5 deficit in the third game, scoring five unanswered points before Sara Villwock capped a 6-0 run with an ace serve, tying the score at 11. The Huskers regained control on a kill by Pilakowski, then built a 14-11 lead with Cepero behind the service line.

Colorado thwarted the Huskers' game-point attempt with a kill by Meghan Barkman. CU scored its 12th and 13th points on a kill by Villwock and a Nebraska attack error. But NU took possession on a kill by senior outside hitter Kim Behrends, and the Huskers sealed the 15-13 third-game win when Holmquist and senior right side hitter Angie Oxley blocked Villwock.

The Huskers return to action Wednesday when they travel to College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&M. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.