Nebraska Block Stops Colorado

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Boulder, Colo. ? Middle blockers Melissa Elmer and Sara Westling combined for 26 kills and 18 blocks Wednesday night to lead No. 10 Nebraska to a 33-31, 15-30, 30-18, 30-26 win over Colorado before 2,124 fans at the Coors Events Center.

Elmer pounded a team-high 14 kills while swinging at a .423 clip and adding 10 blocks, while Westling added 12 kills on a .455 hitting percentage to go along with eight blocks.

 

Nebraska totaled 21.5 team blocks, their second-highest total this season. Senior outside hitter Anna Schrad contributed eight stops, while sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua recorded five blocks and junior right side hitter Ally Rebholz added four more.

 

With the win, the Huskers end the regular season with a 26-4 overall record and a 17-3 mark in the Big 12. NU finished second in the league standings, as Kansas State clinched the title with a sweep of Texas A&M in Manhattan Wednesday night. Colorado fell to 20-9 and 12-7 with the loss. CU was led by Nicole Carr who had 15 kills, but hit just .162, as the Buffaloes hit just .096 against the Nebraska block.

 

“Our game plan was to run the middle, and obviously it worked,” NU Coach John Cook said. “I think Melissa and Sara did a great job tonight. Both them had great matches. I also credit the setters for getting them the ball at the right time.”

 

Nebraska trailed, 28-26, in game one after Santillana pounded a kill of the Husker block. But Elmer drilled a kill down the middle, and Schrad swung as CU was called for a net violation, tying the score at 28. The teams exchanged points before Allie Griffin notched a kill to make it 29-28, Buffaloes. Schrad responded with a kill to tie it at 30. Saleaumua and Westling blocked Griffin on the next rally, but Elmer served long, and the score was tied again at 31. A kill attempt by Gerlach sailed wide to give the Huskers a 32-21 advantage. On game point, Schrad produced an ace serve to secure a 33-31 win.

 

The ace was her first since Nov. 1, as Schrad has not regularly served since switching to the right side position. Schrad also tallied six kills and hit .625 in game one.

 

It was all Colorado in game two. The Buffaloes led 20-9 after an NU hitting error, and they eventually took a 30-15 win. The win was Colorado’s first in a game against the Huskers since 1999 and snapped Nebraska’s 24-game winning streak in the series. The point total was the Huskers’ lowest this season in a single game. NU hit minus -.048 in game two after swinging at a .316 clip in the first game.

 

Nebraska turned the tables in game three. NU led, 9-2, early and remained in control throughout the game. The Huskers eventually took a 30-18, game three win on a kill by Saleaumua. NU hit .379 in the third game and tallied six team blocks. Elmer had a hand in four of the stops.

 

In game four, the score was 18-18 before Saleaumua sparked a 3-0 run with a kill. Kills by Ally Rebholz and Dani Mancuso made it 23-19, NU. The Buffaloes pulled within two on a kill by Nicole Carr, then tied the score at 25 with the help of two Husker hitting errors. Saleaumua then pounded a kill out of the back row to give NU an advantage. Mancuso followed with a service ace to make it 27-25. Westling and Schrad combined for a block to force a game point situation, and NU wrapped up the 30-26, fourth-game win on a CU hitting error.

 

Nebraska is off on Saturday, Nov. 29, before convening for the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament selection show. The 64-team field will be announced Sunday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. live on ESPNEWS.