Huskers Post Opening Night Sweep

Normal, Ill. ?  The seventh-ranked Nebraska volleyball team overcame a rough start in game one to sweep Clemson, 32-30, 30-10, 30-17, Friday night in the first match of the Barker GMC Classic hosted by Illinois State at Redbird Arena.

Six Huskers finished the match with at least eight kills, let by sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua's 10 kills. Senior outside hitter Anna Schrad, sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer and redshirt freshman right side hitter Kelsey Fautsch each added eight kills. Fautsch, playing in the first match of her career, swung for a match-best .889 hitting percentage and also added two blocks.

NU setters Michelle Lynch and Dani Busboom combined for 43 assists in leading Nebraska to a .307 team hitting percentage.

'In that first game, I think some of it was nerves,' NU Coach John Cook said. 'We've got a young team, and I expected that. But I was happy to see us come back and win and keep the momentum.'

Nebraska (1-0) quickly built a 12-5 lead in game one before committing four straight errors. Clemson (0-1) capitalized, never falling behind by more three points and finally tying the game at 22 when Ryane Beasley and Marija Zoric blocked  Saleaumua. Schrad answered, slamming a kill from the back row to give NU a 23-22 lead.

The score was tied five more times before Clemson posted back-to-back kills to take a 29-27 advantage, its largest of the game. Again, Schrad responded by pounding a kill from the back row. Schrad then tied the game at 29 with a service ace.

'I think it was just instinctive,' Schrad said. 'When the team needs me and needs me to get that big point, that's when I think I play my best. I was just trying to get us going. That first game was kind of rough.'

After the teams exchanged points, redshirt  Fautsch slammed her sixth kill of the match. Elmer and Fautsch then blocked Finn for the 32-30 first-game win. The block was NU's first of the match. Fautsch finished  game one with six kills on six attempts.

The Huskers carried their momentum into game two, opening the game with three straight blocks. NU was never challenged and twice led by 15 before wrapping up a 30-10 win with Busboom at the service line. Nebraska hit a blistering .519 in game two, compared to its .191 mark in game one. The Huskers also recorded eight service aces, including three by Elmer, who tallied a career-best five aces.

In game three, Clemson closed NU's lead to 16-12 after two Husker errors. But Elmer produced a kill, then served six straight points ? including two aces ? to increase Nebraska's lead to 23-12. Cook cleared the bench, and the Huskers closed the match with a 30-17 third-game win.

The Huskers (1-0) will continue tournament play Saturday morning against Illinois, beginning at 10 a.m. (CST) before taking on the host Redbirds at 7 p.m. (CST). Both games will be carried on B107.3 FM with John Baylor beginning 15 minutes prior to first serve.