Mancuso Stars as Cook Picks up 100th Win at NU

New Orleans, La. ? In the first start of her young career, freshman outside hitter Dani Mancuso pounded a match-high 16 kills on a sizzling .429 hitting percentage to lead the fifth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 30-17, 30-16, 30-17 win over New Orleans Friday night in the first match of the Nokia Sugar Bowl Classic hosted by Tulane.

Mancuso, who was starting in place of the injured Jennifer Saleaumua, also added nine digs. Prior to Friday night, Mancuso had played in just two of Nebraska's 10 games in 2003.

As Nebraska improved to 4-0 on the season, NU head coach John Cook improved to 100-4 (.962) in four seasons with the Huskers. Cook, who owns a 261-77 all-time record, led Nebraska to a 34-0 mark in 2000, and a 31-2 record in both 2001 and 2002.

Cook's 100th NU win came with an extremely young lineup on the floor, as four freshmen played over half the match. In addition to Mancuso, setter Dani Busboom totaled 24 assists and two services aces, middle blocker Christina Houghtelling posted four kills and two blocks, and redshirt freshman Kelsey Fautsch had seven kills and hit .429.

"Dani Mancuso played very well in her first start," Cook said. "She hit well ? she hit the ball hard. I thought she passed well, too. I think at times this year, we will need her, so that was good to see. It was good to be able to get Dani and Christina Houghtelling some playing time."

Defensively, Nebraska held New Orleans (1-4) to a minus -.028 hitting percentage. Five of the 12 Privateers who attempted a kill hit for a negative percentage.

Leading 20-14 in game one, the Huskers all but put the game out of reach with a 6-0 run that included two kills from Fautsch and three from Mancuso. Nebraska secured the 30-17, first-game victory on a net violation call against the Privateers. NU hit .400 in game one, led by sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer, who pounded four kills on four attempts.

In game two, Mancuso pounded 12 kills as NU ran away with a 30-17 win. Freshman middle blocker Christina Houghtelling was in the starting lineup in game two and scored the final point of the 30-17 win with her second kill of the game.

In the third game, Nebraska led, 17-15, before Elmer produced a kill that sparked a 5-0 run that included an ace serve by Mancuso. NU went on to win the third game, 30-17.

The Huskers continue tournament action when they faced Louisiana State at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. NU will then face Tulane at 7 p.m. at Fogelman Arena.

 

      Univ. of New Orleans vs Nebraska (Sep 05, 2003 at New Orleans, La.)



   Univ. of New Orleans   |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE|POINTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3  MIKUSKI, Melissa....  3|  2   0   2 1.000| 17|  0   2|  0|  7| 0  1  0|  2|   2.5
7  HELGESON, Jessica...  3|  2   6  11 -.364|  0|  0   0|  0|  2| 0  1  0|  0|   2.5
11 URDAZ, Anais........  3|  4   7  26 -.115|  1|  0   1|  2|  5| 0  2  1|  0|   5.0
14 CRUZ, Jennifer......  3|  7   3  27  .148|  0|  0   2|  0|  1| 0  0  1|  0|   7.0
15 CARR, Hillary.......  3|  4   4  20  .000|  0|  0   1|  0|  0| 0  3  1|  0|   5.5
20 KINGSEED, Gail......  3|  1   2   8 -.125|  0|  0   0|  1|  0| 0  0  1|  1|   1.0
4  DUNCAN, Jayne.......  3|  0   0   1  .000|  0|  0   1|  1|  6| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
6  MEYERS, Amanda......  2|  0   1   3 -.333|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  1  0|  0|   0.5
9  BAUER, Kylee........  1|  0   0   0  .000|  1|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
10 KUHLKE, Amanda......  1|  1   0   1 1.000|  0|  0   0|  0|  0| 0  0  0|  0|   1.0
12 ZIMMER, Christine...  3|  0   0   4  .000|  1|  0   0|  0|  9| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
13 MAY, Nikki..........  2|  0   1   3 -.333|  0|  0   0|  0|  3| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
   TEAM................   |                 |   |       |  1|   |        |   |   0.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Totals..............  3| 21  24 106 -.028| 20|  0   7|  5| 33| 0  8  4|  3|  25.0

TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 4.0
Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1   8  5  41  .073   GAME SCORES           1  2  3  TEAM RECORDS
   2   7 12  35 -.143   Univ. of New Orleans 17 16 17  1-4
   3   6  7  30 -.033   Nebraska............ 30 30 30  4-0

   Nebraska               |     ATTACK      |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF|  BLOCK |GEN
## Name                 GP|  K   E  TA   PCT|  A| SA  SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE|POINTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2  Lynch, Michelle.....  3|  1   2   3 -.333| 16|  0   2|  0|  6| 0  0  0|  0|   1.0
7  Mancuso, Dani.......  3| 16   4  28  .429|  0|  1   1|  0|  9| 0  0  0|  0|  17.0
8  Elmer, Melissa......  3|  8   5  17  .176|  0|  2   1|  0|  2| 0  0  1|  0|  10.0
13 Rebholz, Ally.......  3|  5   0   9  .556|  2|  0   0|  0|  3| 0  0  1|  0|   5.0
15 Westling, Sara......  1|  2   1   9  .111|  3|  0   0|  0|  1| 0  0  2|  0|   2.0
16 Schrad, Anna........  3|  8   4  17  .235|  0|  0   1|  0| 11| 1  0  0|  0|   9.0
3  Houghtelling, Chris.  2|  4   2   9  .222|  0|  0   1|  0|  3| 1  1  0|  0|   5.5
6  Dowling, Jenae......  3|  0   0   1  .000|  2|  0   0|  0|  7| 0  0  0|  0|   0.0
10 Fautsch, Kelsey.....  3|  7   1  14  .429|  1|  0   0|  0|  1| 0  1  0|  1|   7.5
18 Busboom, Dani.......  3|  0   0   0  .000| 24|  2   2|  0|  9| 0  0  0|  1|   2.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Totals..............  3| 51  19 107  .299| 48|  5   8|  0| 52| 2  2  4|  2|  59.0

TEAM ATTACK PER GAME                               TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 3.0
Game  K  E  TA   Pct
   1  19  5  35  .400   Site: New Orleans, La. (Fogelman Arena)
   2  14  4  29  .345   Date: Sep 05, 2003   Attend:     Time: 1:14
   3  18 10  43  .186   Referees: John Kline, Mary Blaylock
                                         1   2   3 Total
                        Tie scores       4   0   2     6
                        Lead changes     3   1   3     7