Huskers Conclude Regular Season at Colorado

Lincoln -- The 10th-ranked Nebraska volleyball team will play its final regular-season match Wednesday when it travels to Boulder, Colo., to face the Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. First serve is scheduled for 8 p.m. CST.

The Huskers hold a commanding 36-5 lead in the all-time series with Colorado, but the Buffaloes have been the league’s hottest team in November. CU (20-8) has won five straight matches, including wins over No. 18 Texas A&M, at Texas and Missouri. As a result of the successful stretch, the Buffaloes have moved into a tie with the Aggies for third-place in the Big 12 standings.

Nebraska has already assured itself of at least a second-place finish in the Big 12. The Huskers are 16-3 in the league, well ahead of Texas A&M (12-6) and Colorado (12-6), who each have two matches remaining. First-place Kansas State (17-3) has already clinched at least a share of the conference championship. If the Huskers win at CU Wednesday, and KSU losses its final two matches (Nov. 26 vs. Texas A&M, Nov. 29 at Texas), then Nebraska would share the title. Kansas State would earn the Big 12’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid because it has defeated Nebraska twice.

If Nebraska does indeed finish second, it will be just the second time in the conference’s eight-year history that NU has not won the Big 12 title. The Huskers were the runner-up in 1997.

While Nebraska’s conference title hopes are slim, a win at Colorado Wednesday would only help the Huskers’ in the NCAA Tournament seeding process, as the Buffaloes are considered a regionally-ranked team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. NU is 7-4 against AVCA nationally-ranked teams and 15-4 against AVCA regionally-ranked teams. The NU Coliseum is one of four pre-determined regional sites in this year’s NCAA Tournament, marking the first year that the locations have not been announced during the selection show. The other sites are Florida, Long Beach State and Hawaii.

However, Nebraska must be one of the top 16-seeded teams to stay in Lincoln for the NCAA first and second rounds (Dec. 4-7) and must advance past that weekend to have a shot at playing in the Coliseum regional. The NCAA selection show is schedule for Sunday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. on ESPNEWS.

For Starters ... The Latest on Nebraska’s Probable Lineup

• #7 Dani Mancuso, 6-2, Fr., OH ... After seeing limited duty in September and October, Mancuso has started eight straight matches on the left side. She is averaging 1.91 kills per game and has posted nine service aces in November.
• #26 Jennifer Saleaumua, 5-11, So., OH ... Saleaumua is widely considered NU’s top all-around player and best passer. She leads NU and the Big 12 with 16 double-doubles. She leads NU in kills (3.24 per game) and digs (3.93 per game), which ranks second in the Big 12. Saleaumua needs just two more digs to break the NU single-season record set by Kate Crnich in 1996 (390 digs).
• #13 Anna Schrad, 6-2, Sr., RS ... Schrad moved to the right side after the Texas Tech match Oct. 29. Schrad ranks second on the team with 3.08 kills per game and is averaging 1.25 blocks per game since moving to the right side Nov. 1. She shares times with either redshirt freshman Kelsey Fautsch or junior Ally Rebholz in the Huskers’ 6-2 offense.
• #8 Melissa Elmer, 6-2, So., MB ... Elmer leads the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game and ranks second in the league with a .353 hitting percentage. She posted a career-high 15 blocks at Kansas Oct. 8, the third-highest total in school history and the most blocks by any player in the Big 12 Conference this season. Elmer is hitting .398 in eight matches in November.
• #15 Sara Westling, 6-2, Sr., MB ... Westling has started 21 of NU’s 29 matches. She has had at least four blocks 10 of the last 11 matches and ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 1.09 per game.
• #2 Michelle Lynch, 5-11, So., S; -OR- #18 Dani Busboom, 5-10, Fr., S: Lynch and Busboom share the setting duties in the Huskers’ 6-2 offense. Lynch leads the team with 44 service aces and 7.40 assists per game, while Busboom is second on the team with 33 service aces and 5.82 assists per game. Busboom posted career-highs in assists (36) and digs (12) against Baylor Saturday night.
• #1 Amanda McCormick, 5-8, Fr., L: McCormick claimed a spot in the lineup mid-season and is averaging 3.43 digs per game, the second-highest average ever by an NU freshman. Against Missouri Oct. 15, McCormick had 31 digs -- the third-highest total in school history and the most by any player in the Big 12 this season.

Colorado Quickly (20-8, 12-6)
Colorado (20-8 overall and 12-6 in the Big 12) has won five straight matches to move into a tie for third-place in the league standings with Texas A&M. In its last three matches, CU has defeated No. 18 Texas A&M, Texas and Missouri.

Like Nebraska, Colorado features a balanced offensive attack. Four Buffaloes are averaging better than 5.00 kills per game. CU is led by senior middle blocker Monique Gerlach, who boasts a 3.42 kills-per-game average while hitting a team-best .321. Also like Nebraska, Colorado uses two setters, junior Allison Barnes (10.79 apg) and freshman Ashley Nu’u (6.42 apg). Nu’u was tabbed the preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year but has been sidelined frequently by back pain. Colorado Coach Pi’i Aiu owns a 133-75 record in his seventh season in Boulder.

Nebraska-Colorado Series
Nebraska is 36-5 all-time against the Buffaloes, and four of those losses have been on the road. However, NU has swept Colorado in seven straight matches, and the Huskers have won 23 consecutive games overall against the Buffaloes. Colorado defeated the Huskers in a pair of matches in 1997, but over the past nine seasons dating back to 1994, NU is 19-2 against the Buffaloes.

The Last Time We Met
Sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer drilled 11 kills and totaled eight blocks Oct. 1 to lead Nebraska 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.

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.

Junior right side hitter Ally Rebholz added five blocks and recorded eight kills on a .375 hitting percentage. 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.

Coming Up
While most Big 12 teams are concluding conference play, the Huskers have Saturday, Nov. 29 off. The NCAA Tournament selection show is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. Central on ESPNEWS. As in years past, Nebraska will watch the show on the media level of the Memorial Stadium skyboxes. All media are invited to attend.

All About Elmer
Second-year starter Melissa Elmer is one of the Big 12’s best middle blockers and one of the Huskers’ top candidates for postseason honors. Elmer leads the Big 12 with 1.59 blocks per game and ranks second in the league with a .353 hitting percentage. She is hitting .376 in Big 12 matches, which ranks first in the conference. Elmer is third on the team with 32 service aces.

Elmer has been even more impressive in November, averaging 3.25 kills per game on .398 hitting. Elmer has hit over .333 in her last five matches.

Elmer was named the Big 12 Player-of-the-Week Oct. 14, winning the award for her career performances against Kansas Oct. 8 and Kansas State Oct. 11. Elmer had a career-high 15 blocks at Kansas, the highest number of blocks by any player in the Big 12 Conference this season. The total ranks third all-time on the NU single-match performance charts behind former All-Americans Amber Holmquist (16, 2000) and Karen Dahlgren (18, 1984) and is also the highest by a Husker in the rally-scoring era. Elmer has 149 block assists and needs four more to break into the single-season top 10.

Against KSU, Elmer posted a career-high 19 kills, seven more than any other player involved in the match.

Saleaumua Does Everything for NU
Sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua has put up some of the best all-around numbers in the Big 12 this season. She leads all conference outside hitters with a .265 hitting percentage. She ranks second in the Big 12 in digs (3.93 per game) and double-doubles (16). Saleaumua has produced six double-doubles in her last seven matches.

Saleaumua has tallied 389 digs this season, which ranks second on the single-season digs chart. She needs just two more to break Kate Crnich’s record of 390 set in 1996. Saleaumua posted a career-best 27 digs against Missouri Oct. 15, which is the second-highest total by a Big 12 player this season.

Offensively, Saleaumua has posted double-figure kill totals in 22 of her last 22 matches. Oct. 8 at KU, Saleaumua recorded a career-best 19 kills on a .340 hitting percentage. She leads NU with 3.24 kills per game.

Lynch Aces Opponents
Sophomore setter Michelle Lynch leads Nebraska with 44 service aces and ranks first in the Big 12 with 0.49 aces per game in conference matches. A left-handed jump server, Lynch has tallied 21 aces in November and needs just five more aces to move into the Nebraska all-time top 10, which would be a rare feat. The last player to break into NU’s career service aces chart was Kelly Aspegren in 1993. Aspegren ranks ninth all-time at NU with 51 career aces.

Super Servers
Nebraska ranks second in the league with 2.01 service aces per game (207 total) and surpassed its 2002 season total of 169 Nov. 5 at Texas A&M. NU had four service aces at Texas A&M Nov. 5 to push its 2003 total to 170. In conference matches, the Huskers lead the Big 12 with 2.10 service aces per game.

Ten Huskers own a service ace, seven have at least 15, and four have at least 30 aces. Sophomore setter Michelle Lynch leads the team with 44 aces, followed by freshman setter Dani Busboom (33), sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer (32) and sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua (31).

Nebraska tied the 13-year-old school record for service aces in a three-game match with 16 at Texas Sept. 20. Lynch led the effort with five aces, while Saleaumua and freshman middle blocker Christina Houghtelling each had four.

Nebraska Notables

• Freshman outside hitter Dani Mancuso moved into the Big 12 statistical rankings for the first time in her career Nov. 24. Mancuso is tied for ninth with 0.34 service aces in conference matches. She had five service aces against KU Nov. 19, which tied for the highest single-game total by a Husker this season.
• Sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer is hitting .398 in November. She has hit over .420 in four of NU’s eight matches this month.
• Freshman setter Dani Busboom averaged 8.00 assists per game last week and had a career-high 36 assists against Baylor Saturday. Busboom also recorded a career-best 12 digs against the Bears.
• Three Huskers averaged more than 3.00 kills per game last week against Kansas and Baylor, including sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua (4.00, .304 pct.), sophomore middle blocker Melissa Elmer (3.86, .447 pct.) and senior right side hitter Anna Schrad (3.71, .300).
• Schrad’s 40 swings against Baylor were the most attempts she has had since moving to the right side Nov. 1.

Cook’s Winning Ways
Nebraska Coach John Cook has been amazingly successful during his four seasons at the helm, posting a 121-8 record. Cook picked up his 100th victory as Nebraska’s 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. Cook has lost just three Big 12 Conference matches, going 76-3 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.