Husker Blockers Stop Colorado in 3-0 Win

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer drilled 11 kills and totaled eight blocks Wednesday night to lead the seventh-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 30-22, 30-24, 30-16 win over Colorado before 4,062 fans at the NU Coliseum. With the win, the Huskers improved to 13-1 overall and 5-0 in the league. NU also extended its streak of wins against Big 12 Conference teams to 76.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Elmer and the Huskers dominated the match at the net, out-blocking CU, 11-2, and hitting .279 to the Buffaloes' .107 hitting percentage. Nebraska's 11 blocks was its highest total since Sept. 16 against Santa Clara. NU held Colorado's Monique Gerlach to six kills on a .100 hitting percentage, while no Colorado players hit better than .215.

 

"Elmer came to play tonight," NU Coach John Cook said. "Blockers can just get hot, and she was feeling it in that third game. That was something we really worked on this week in practice. Our blocking numbers have been down over the past few matches, and that has to be a strength for us if we're going to be a great team."

 

Junior right side hitter Ally Rebholz added five blocks and recorded eight kills on a .375 hitting percentage. Anna Schrad and Kelsey Fautsch posted nine and eight kills, respectively, and Jennifer Saleaumua led Nebraska with 15 digs.

 

The Huskers produced 11 service aces, while Colorado had none. The match marked the third time in the last four matches that Nebraska has served at least 10 aces.

 

"Nebraska is just as big and as physical as they have always been," CU Coach Pi'i Aiu said. "That can really wear on a team."

 

With the Huskers trailing 13-12 in game one, Rebholz produced her second kill of the night to spark a 6-0 Nebraska run. Schrad had two kills during the stretch. Colorado called timeout and the Huskers committed a hitting error on the next rally. But Rebholz slammed another kill and regained the momentum for NU. Nebraska increased its lead to 22-15 after back-to-back kills by Fautsch. Colorado pulled within three, and Fautsch again came up with a kill. Nebraska went on to take a 30-22, first-game win on an ace serve by sophomore setter Michelle Lynch. Fautsch tallied six kills in game one and hit .556, while Schrad, Rebholz and Elmer all had at least three and hit .400 or better.

 

Colorado bounced back in game two and led by three early. Nebraska crawled back and finally took at 15-14 lead on a kill by Rebholz. But Amber Nu'u  recorded back-to-back kills to put the Buffaloes up 17-15. The Huskers tied it at 19 with a block by freshman middle blocker Christina Houghtelling. With the score tied again at 20, Houghtelling served four straight points, including two service aces. The Huskers won, 30-21, on an ace service by Elmer.

 

NU controlled game three throughout. Elmer was in on three straight blocks, combining with Rebholz on the third stop, to give Nebraska a 16-9 advantage. Elmer finished the third game with four blocks and produced the winning kill.

 

With the loss, Colorado fell to 10-5 overall and 2-3 in the league.

 

Nebraska returns to action Saturday, Oct. 1, when it travels to Oklahoma for a 2 p.m. A live video stream will be available on the web at Huskers.com on HuskersNside. The match can also be heard live on selected Pinnacle Sports Network affiliates and B107.3 FM in Lincoln.