Huskers Sweep Bruins in Front of NCAA Record Crowd

Omaha ? The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team advanced to the NCAA regional final with a 30-28, 30-24, 30-16 sweep of No. 14 UCLA in front of an NCAA postseason record crowd of 14,489 at the Qwest Center Omaha Friday night.

 

With the win, the Huskers (31-1) advanced to face Florida in Saturday’s 5 p.m. regional final, as the Gators (33-2) swept Louisville in Friday’s first regional semifinal.

 

Nebraska recorded its third consecutive sweep in the postseason and improved to 31-1 with the victory. UCLA ended its season with a 20-11 record, as the Bruins were swept for just the second time in their last 16 matches.

 

The crowd of 14,489 broke the previous NCAA record of 13,194 between Penn State and Long Beach State at the 1998 NCAA Championships in Madison, Wis.

 

All-American Jennifer Saleaumua led a potent Husker attack, totaling a match-high 13 kills on .571 hitting. The senior All-American also led NU with 12 digs, as she totaled her 40th career double-double. All-American Sarah Pavan also reached double figures in kills, as she finished with 12 kills on .409 hitting, as the Huskers hit .349 in the match, including .464 in the finale.

 

NU out-dug the Bruins, 40-30 and enjoyed a 10-6 blocking advantage at the net, as middle blockers Melissa Elmer and Tracy Stalls tied for match-high honors with five blocks.

 

The opener was a see-saw battle, as the game saw 14 ties before the Huskers pulled away with a 30-28 victory. NU was out-hit .286-.252 and trailed 24-21 before mustering a comeback. Down by three points, Saleaumua led the Husker comeback, recording a kill and a block to pull NU within 24-23 before Dani Busboom’s ace tied the game. The match would be tied four more times before a Bruin attack error gave NU a one-point lead. Christina Houghtelling, who had four kills and .444 hitting, ended the longest rally of the match with a kill to give the Huskers’ the opener.

 

The Huskers continued to build on the momentum of the opener, hitting .361 in a 30-23 victory in game two. Pavan and Saleaumua did most of the damage for the Huskers, totaling 10 kills on 15 swings, including six kills by Pavan on just eight swings. Nebraska blitzed the Bruins with a 7-1 run to open the game, taking a five-point lead at 7-2. UCLA pulled to within 15-12 after a Nancy Barba kill, but a service error, a Houghtelling ace and an Elmer kill quickly pushed the lead back to six points. UCLA could never slice into the deficit and NU went to the locker room up 2-0.

 

The Huskers rolled to a 30-16 win in the third game, fueled by a match-high .464 hitting percentage. The NU defense was just as stout, holding the Bruins to just .100 hitting on 30 swings. Freshman Jordan Larson keyed the charge, serving five straight points, as NU jumped to a 9-2 advantage. UCLA got to with 10-4, but NU responded with a 7-2 run, capped by a block by Elmer and Houghtelling that give the Huskers an 11-point lead. NU, bolstered by the crowd, continued to add to the margin and cruised to the sweep, its third sweep over a ranked team at the Qwest Center this season.

 

Barba led UCLA with 11 kills, as no other Bruin finished in double figures, as NU avenged a regional loss to UCLA two years earlier in Lincoln.

 

Nebraska now faces Florida on Saturday at 5 p.m. with a trip to the national semifinals in San Antonio at stake. Tickets are still available for the match, which can be seen live on ESPNU. Tickets are $18.50 and $15.50 and will go on sale at the Qwest Center Omaha Box Office at 9 p.m. and at Ticketmaster locations around the state and at Ticketmaster.com at 10 a.m.