Huskers Hope to Rebound Against Missouri

#8 Nebraska (15-2, 7-1) vs. Missouri (13-4, 6-2)
When: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m.
Where: NU Coliseum
Series: NU leads, 56-2-1
Last Meeting: NU won, 3-0, 11/27/02
Cook vs. Missouri: 6-0.

#8 Nebraska (15-2, 7-1) at Baylor (2-5, 10-10)
When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m.
Where: Ferrell Center
Series: NU leads, 15-0
Last Meeting: NU won, 3-0, 11/23/02
Cook vs. Baylor: 6-0.

Media Information
Television: The NU-MU match will be televised nationally live on CSTV (DirecTV 610) and locally on NETV. Kevin Eschenfelder and Leandra Reilly will call the action.
Radio: Both matches can be heard live on B107.3 FM in Lincoln and selected Pinnacle Sports Network affiliates. John Baylor will call the action, while NU volleyball Director of Operations Diane Mendenhall will provide color analysis.
Live Stats: Huskers.com.
Live Audio: Huskers.com.
Live Video: A video stream of the NU-MU match can be seen on HuskersNside at Huskers.com.

Huskers Hope to Rebound Against Missouri
Nebraska's nationally televised match against Missouri Wednesday marks the end of an extremely difficult Big 12 stretch in which the Huskers have faced three of the league's top five teams. NU won the first contest, 3-1, at Kansas Oct. 8, but suffered a five-game loss to Kansas State last Saturday.

The loss to Kansas State marked the end of an era for the Huskers and snapped several impressive streaks. NU had won 78 straight matches against Big 12 teams (77 regular season) and 42 straight at home against league foes. It was also Nebraska Coach John Cook's first loss to a Big 12 team.

Nebraska hopes to rebound from its KSU defeat against the Tigers, who are in third in the league standings. Missouri is coming off a sweep of Texas. The Tigers won in game three, 42-40, marking the longest game in school history.

Three of MU's key players are from Nebraska, including setter Lindsey Hunter (Big 12-best 12.75 apg) and defensive specialist Sara Parks (2.91 dpg) from Papillion, and middle blockers Nicole Wilson (2.00 kpg) and Jenny Duitsman (0.57 kpg) from Lincoln. Another Nebraska player, Melissa Allbery from Gretna, has not yet played in a game.

Missouri ranks among the Big 12 leaders with a .282 hitting percentage, but the Tigers will have to contend with a strong NU block led by sophomore Melissa Elmer, who has been red-hot. Elmer averaged 2.33 blocks per game and 3.89 kills per game on an incredible .561 hitting percentage against Kansas and Kansas State last week. She drilled a career-best 19 kills against KSU and had a career-high 15 blocks at Kansas, the third-highest total in school history and the most blocks by any player in the Big 12 Conference this season.

Following the Missouri match, NU will travel to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor at 7 p.m. Oct. 18.

For Starters ... A Look at the NU Lineup

Outside Hitter
#16 Anna Schrad (6-2, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.): Schrad leads the Huskers with 3.36 kills per game, and her 548 attempts are 106 more than any other Husker. Schrad averaged 2.65 kills per game last year.

#26 Jennifer Saleaumua (5-11, So., National City, Calif.): Saleaumua is widely considered NU's top all-around player and best passer. She has led Nebraska in kills in five of the last seven matches, and she has led NU in digs in three of the last four matches. Saleaumua had a career-high 19 kills at KU Oct. 8, and she had a career-best 23 digs against Kansas State Oct. 11.

#13 Ally Rebholz (6-1, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.): NU's starter on the right side, Rebholz has emerged as an impact player. Rebholz has had at least 10 kills in two of her last three matches. She ranks second on the team with 1.05 blocks per game. Rebholz shares time with redshirt freshman Kelsey Fautsch in NU's 6-2 offense.

Middle Blocker
#8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, So., Fort Wayne, Ind.): Elmer averaged 2.33 blocks per game and 3.89 kills per game on an incredible .561 hitting percentage against Kansas and Kansas State last week. She posted a career-high 15 blocks at Kansas, the third-highest total in school history and the most blocks by any player in the Big 12 Conference this season.

#3 Christina Houghtelling (6-2, Fr., Cambridge, Neb.): Houghtelling became a fixture in the NU lineup after playing well off the bench against Georgia Tech Sept. 14. She started five matches before missing two with knee problems. Houghtelling is second on the team with a .292 hitting percentage. If Houghtelling doesn't start, senior middle blocker Sara Westling will get the nod.

Setter
#2 Michelle Lynch (5-11, Sr., Jacksonville, Ill.): In her first season as a starter, Lynch leads NU with 7.48 assists per game. Lynch has started every match but shares setting duties with freshman Dani Busboom in Nebraska's 6-2 (two-setter) offense. Lynch ranks third on the team with 19 service aces, while Busboom ranks second with 22 aces.

Libero
#6 Jenae Dowling (5-6, Sr., Fort Wayne, Ind.): Dowling is tied for the team lead with 3.52 digs per game in her first season as a starter. Dowling and Anna Schrad serve as the 2003 co-captains.

The End of an Era
Nebraska's five-game loss to Kansas State Oct. 11 snapped several of the nation's most impressive conference winning streaks, including the following:

• Entering the KSU match, the Huskers had won 77 consecutive regular-season Big 12 matches, which ranks third in NCAA history. The streak started after NU's loss at Texas on Oct. 24, 1999. Nebraska won 10 straight conference matches to close the 1999 season, and went 20-0 in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and was 7-0 in 2003.
• The Huskers had won 78 straight matches against Big 12 teams (the Huskers defeated Kansas State in a non-conference match in the 2001 NCAA Tournament). Nebraska's 78-match league winning streak ranks fourth in NCAA history.
• NU had won 42 straight Big 12 matches at home, dating back to a five-game loss to Kansas State Sept. 22, 1999. After the KSU loss, Nebraska won its last nine Big 12 home matches that year, then won 10 in each of the next three seasons and had won three in 2003 before falling to the Wildcats again.
• John Cook had won 68 matches against Big 12 teams (67 regular season) as head coach.

34 Consecutive Sellouts
Nebraska owns a streak of 34 consecutive sellouts at the NU Coliseum. The Huskers sold out all 17 matches they played at the Coliseum last season (NU played one match at the 13,500-seat Bob Devaney Sports Center). NU ended the 2001 season with 10 straight sellout crowds at the Coliseum. The Huskers sold out every match at the Coliseum in 2001 except a Tuesday, Sept. 25 match against Creighton. NU has sold out all seven of its home matches in 2003.

Missouri Quickly (13-4, 6-2)
Missouri is 13-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12 Conference and is receiving votes in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches poll. Last week, the Tigers swept Texas and lost to Kansas State in five games in Manhattan. MU's three-game win over the Longhorns featured a 42-40 triumph in game three and marked the longest game in school history.

Sophomore setter Lindsey Hunter (Papillion, Neb.) leads the Big 12 in assists per game (12.75) and has guided the Tigers to a conference-best .282 hitting percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Shen Danru ranks among the league leaders with 4.30 kills per game and 0.43 service aces per game. MU ranks second in the conference to Nebraska with 1.83 service aces per game.

Hunter is one of fiveMissouri players from Nebraska. The others are sophomore defensive specialist Sara Parks (Papillion-LaVista), middle blockers Jenny Duitsman (Lincoln Lutheran), Nicole Wilson (Lincoln Christian) and Melissa Allbery (Gretna).

The Tigers are led by fourth-year head coach Susan Kreklow, who owns an 83-30 record. Krelow's husband, Wayne, is the associate head coach.

Nebraska-Missouri Series
Nebraska owns a 56-2-1 advantage over Missouri, and the Huskers have not lost since 1982. Missouri has only taken Nebraska to a fourth game once since 1984. Nebraska swept the Tigers twice in 2002.

Last Time: Nebraska 3, Missouri 0
Senior setter Greichaly Cepero produced 40 assists, nine kills, nine digs and three blocks in Nebraska's 30-21, 30-27, 30-25, win over Missouri at the Hearnes Center. With the win, Nebraska extended its streak of regular-season wins over Big 12 teams to 69. Senior middle blocker Amber Holmquist led four players who had at least three blocks, as NU out-blocked MU 12-0 and held the Tigers to a .166 hitting percentage. Missouri setter Lindsey Hunter had 40 assists and 12 digs.

Elmer Emerging as All-America Candidate
Second-year starter Melissa Elmer is beginning to produce the numbers NU coaches had hoped for, as she had the best week of her career against two of the Big 12's most impressive teams last week. Elmer averaged 2.33 blocks per game and 3.89 kills per game on an incredible .561 hitting percentage against Kansas and Kansas State and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week. She drilled a career-best 19 kills against Kansas State and had a career-high 15 blocks at Kansas, the third-highest total in school history and the highest number of blocks by any player in the Big 12 Conference this season.

At KU Oct. 8, Elmer recorded career highs in kills (which she later bettered against KSU) and blocks in Nebraska's four-game win at Kansas. Elmer tallied 15 blocks (two solo, 13 assists), which bested her previous career-high by five and ranks third all-time on the NU single-match performance charts behind former All-Americans Amber Holmquist (16, 2000) and Karen Dahlgren (18, 1984). The total is the highest by a Husker in the rally-scoring era. Elmer also drilled 16 kills on a .577 hitting percentage in the victory, erring just once in 26 attempts.

Elmer was the Huskers' bright spot in a five-game loss to Kansas State Oct. 11. She posted a career-high 19 kills, seven more than any other player involved in the match. Elmer committed just two errors in 31 attempts for a .548 hitting percentage. She also added a service ace and six blocks. With the Huskers down two games to one against the Wildcats, Elmer single-handedly brought NU back in the third game. With NU leading, 20-17, she had a hand in seven of NU's last 10 points, producing four block assists and three kills, including the game-winner, to keep the Huskers in the match.

Elmer currently leads the Big 12 with 1.68 blocks per game. She is averaging 2.90 kills per game on a team-best .334 hitting percentage, and she is hitting .358 in league play. Elmer also leads NU with 24 service aces.

Saleaumua Does Everything for NU
NU Coach John Cook has labeled Jennifer Saleaumua as the Huskers' top all-around player, and the sophomore outside hitter is proving why during Big 12 Conference play. In league matches, Saleuamua has quietly taken over the team lead in kills per game (3.38) and digs per game (3.48). She is hitting .300 against conference teams and has compiled eight service aces in Big 12 play, which ranks third on the team and is the second highest among the Huskers who don't jump serve. Saleaumua ranked ninth in the Big 12 in service aces and sixth in digs in last week's Big 12 statistical rankings.

Saleaumua posted a career-best 23 digs against Kansas State Oct. 11, and although she is known more for her defensive play, Saleaumua has been hurting teams with her offense in recent weeks. She has posted double-figure kill totals in nine of Nebraska's last 10 matches after reaching the mark just once in NU's first six contests. She tallied a then-career-best 17 kills Sept. 17 to help Nebraska defeat Texas A&M in a come-from-behind victory. Oct. 8 at KU, Saleaumua recorded 19 kills on a .340 hitting percentage.

Saleaumua has hit over .400 in four of her last seven matches. She bettered her season-high hitting percentage in three straight matches from Sept. 20 to Sept. 27. She hit at a .407 clip at Texas Sept. 20 while leading NU with 13 kills. She bettered the mark with a .445 (12-2-22) hitting percentage against Iowa State Sept. 24, then topped that with a .476 (12-2-21) hitting percentage against Texas Tech.

Cook's Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his four seasons at the helm, posting a 111-6 record. Cook picked up his 100th victory as Nebraska head coach Sept. 5 when NU defeated New Orleans, 3-0.

Cook's only losses in his first three seasons were to 2001 NCAA champion Stanford, 2001 NCAA runner-up Long Beach State, 2002 NCAA champion USC and 2002 NCAA semifinal participant Hawaii. The Huskers have played 386 games during Cook's tenure, winning 339 and losing just 47 (.885).Cook has lost just one Big 12 Conference match, going 67-1 and winning three league titles.

Cook was the AVCA Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading Nebraska to a 34-0 season and a national title. He was also named the 2001 Big 12 Coach of the Year. In 2001, NU posted a 31-2 mark and advanced to the NCAA semifinals. Last season, Nebraska also finished with a 31-2 record and advanced to the NCAA regional finals. The Huskers have won three Big 12 titles under Cook.

Youth Movement
With a lineup low on experience and depth at some positions, Nebraska's freshmen have been asked to play immediately. Setter Dani Busboom (Cortland, Neb.), middle blocker Christina Houghtelling (Cambridge, Neb.), outside hitter Dani Mancuso (Omaha, Neb.) and right side hitter Kelsey Fautsch (Chisago Lakes, Minn.), a redshirt freshman, have all contributed significantly this season.

Busboom has played more than any other freshman in the Huskers' 6-2 offense, sharing the setting duties with sophomore Michelle Lynch. Busboom is averaging 5.38 assists per game and has made an impression at the service line with 22 aces, which is second on the team.

Mancuso, an Omaha Gross graduate, earned her first career start Sept. 5 against New Orleans, replacing the injured Jennifer Saleaumua. Mancuso made the most of her opportunity by pounding a match-high 16 kills while swinging at a .429 clip. She also started against Georgia Tech and produced five kills. Mancuso is averaging 1.43 kills per game.

Houghtelling has been a part-time starter. She came off the bench and pounded nine kills against Georgia Tech, then started against Texas A&M and recorded eight kills and a match-high five blocks. Houghtelling had four kills and four service aces against Texas Sept. 20. She is averaging 1.81 kills per game. However, she did not play against Oklahoma and Kansas because of knee problems, and she played in only the first two games against Kansas State Oct. 11.

Fautsch is one of two right side hitters in NU's 6-2 offense. Fautsch averages 2.15 kills per game and is hitting .270.

Even some of the upperclassmen who are are in the starting lineup are experiencing their first significant playing time. Junior outside hitter Ally Rebholz saw limited action as NU's third outside hitter in 2002 and 2001. Lynch is setting for the first time after playing the role of serving specialist last year, and senior libero Jenae Dowling has seen a huge increase in playing time after playing sparingly as a defensive specialist during the past three seasons.