Huskers sweep OSU, will play for Final Four spot Saturday

Lincoln -- The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team earned a chance to play for a spot in the 2000 NCAA Final Four with a 15-9, 15-6, 15-5 win over Ohio State in a Central Region semifinal match Friday night before 4,031 fans at the NU Coliseum.

Sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski came up big for NU, which improved to 31-0 on the season. Starting for the first time in three weeks after undergoing an appendectomy Nov. 21, Pilakowski pounded a match-best 15 kills and hit a match-high .448. Pilakowski also totaled eight digs and a career-best six block assists.

Nebraska Coach John Cook said Pilakowski's return to full-strength played a factor in NU's dominance over the Buckeyes.

"Laura bailed us out of a lot of situations tonight," Cook said. "We feel like she is one of the best left-side attackers in the country. You take that away from your team, and not only do you have a gap, but mentally, you lose that edge. Psychologically, it was a huge boost to have her back tonight."

Senior right side hitter Angie Oxley and sophomore middle blocker Amber Holmquist each added 10 kills. Sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero added impressive all-around numbers, tallying 39 assists, seven digs and seven blocks while leading NU to a .275 hitting percentage.

Defensively, the Huskers out-blocked OSU 20-3., led by junior middle blocker Jenny Kropp's nine blocks. NU held the Buckeyes to a 0.75 hitting efficiency. Anne Botica and Suzie Stiling paced OSU with 10 kills each.

The Huskers, who now own a 44-17 all-time NCAA Tournament record, will advance to a regional final match for the second time in the last three years. NU will face Arizona (28-4), which defeated Brigham Young (26-7) 15-6, 15-6, 15-9 in the first semifinal match of the night. Nebraska has advanced to the NCAA Final Four six of the nine times that it has played host to a regional. NU's six Final Four appearances ranks fifth in NCAA history.

With a win against the Wildcats Saturday, Nebraska could tie the NU school record for consecutive victories in the era of five-game matches. NU won 32 straight matches from 1995 to 1996. The Huskers won 36 consecutive matches in 1976 when all matches were played as two-out-of-three contests.

The Huskers used an impressive blocking performance in the first game to down the Buckeyes, 15-9. Led by three blocks each from Kropp, Cepero and Holmquist, Nebraska posted 12 block assists to OSU's four. The Huskers held Ohio State to .000 hitting, but they were up and down offensively themselves. NU hit .158 despite having three players hit .333 or better.

Nebraska bounced back offensively in the second, posting a .368 hitting percentage on the way to a 15-6 win. Pilakowski led the Huskers with seven kills and no errors on 10 attacks, a .700 hitting efficiency. NU trailed 1-4 before a 9-0 run that included six kills from Pilakowski. Nebraska sealed the win on the Columbus, Neb., native's seventh klil fo the match. NU continued its blocking dominance in the second game, posted eight block assists to the Buckeyes' two.

NU was never seriously threatened in the third. With the score tied at 3, the Huskers received to key blocks from Cepero, opening a 6-3 lead. Nebraska widened its advantage to 8-5, and Ohio State never scored again as the Huskers took the 15-5 third-game win and the match.