<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lubbock, Texas ? Sarah Pavan had 16 kills, while Jordan Larson totaled her 16th double-double of the year, leading No. 1 Nebraska to a 3-0 sweep (30-16, 30-21, 30-24) over Texas Tech at the United Spirit Arena Wednesday evening.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
The Huskers, who improved to 21-0 overall and 13-0 in the Big 12, hit .318 as a team and totaled 10 blocks, holding Texas Tech (11-12, 4-10 Big 12) to just .102 hitting in their posting 17th sweep of the season.
Pavan, who had seven of her kills in the opener, finished with a match-high 16 kills and two blocks to pace NU. Larson joined Pavan in double figures with 11 kills and 12 digs, while Tracy Stalls matched her season best with eight blocks and added six kills on .455 hitting.
Nebraska Coach John Cook credited Stalls, who was in on eight of NU’s 10 blocks, with making the big plays down the stretch to complete the sweep after Tech made a furious comeback in game three.
“We played really well the first two games,” Cook said. “When we got to a big lead in game three, we relaxed a bit and let them in the match. When they got close, Tracy made a couple of big plays to get us going and close out the match.
The Huskers came out firing in the opener, using a strong serve and the power of Pavan and Cooper to post a 30-16 victory in the opener. Nebraska hit a blistering .600, as Pavan and Cooper combined for 10 kills on 10 swings. Pavan pounded seven kills in as many attempts, while Cooper, playing in front of nearly two dozen family and friends, had three kills on as many attacks Nebraska took control early, using the serve of Dani Busboom to jump to an early 7-2 lead. Busboom served five straight points, as part of a 6-0 run, turning a 2-1 deficit into a five-point lead. Texas Tech closed to within 13-9, but Cooper started a 3-0 run, to push the lead to 16-9. From there, the Huskers kept extending the lead, doubling up the Red Raiders at 22-11 after a Stalls solo block and cruised to a 14-point win.
While the Huskers looked smooth in the opener, game two was a tussle before the Huskers pulled away late in a 30-21 victory. Dani Mancuso and Jordan Larson keyed NU’s efforts with four kills apiece, as the Huskers never trailed. Nebraska got off to another quick start, scoring the game’s first four points before the Red Raiders rallied. Tailing 10-7, the Red Raiders used a 4-1 run to pull even at 11-all on an Amy Charlesbois kill. After trading points, Nebraska won four of the next five rallies to pull ahead 16-13 after a Red Raider hitting violation. NU eventually got the lead to 20-15 on a Larson kill, but Tech would fight back and get within 21-19 after a Husker hitting error. From there, Mancuso took over, delivering four kills on four swings in a 9-2 spurt, sending the Huskers to the locker room with a 2-0 lead.
Nebraska relied on the power of its middle blockers in game three, posting a 30-24 victory. Amanda Gates, who came in late in game two, sparked NU with four kills on her first four swings, as the Huskers raced out to an early 9-3 lead. Leading 15-10, Nebraska seemingly put the game out of reach, running off six unanswered points to take a 21-10 on a Stalls kill. Texas Tech forged back into the game, using a 14-3 run to get within 27-24. Stalls took over with a kill and a stuff before Mancuso closed out the match with her eighth kill of the night.
Philister Sang led Texas Tech with 14 kills in a losing effort, as no other player totaled more than five kills.
The Huskers return home on Saturday evening, as they host No. 17 Oklahoma from a sold-out Nebraska Coliseum. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and televised state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television (NET-1 and NET-HD).
#1 Nebraska vs Texas Tech (Nov 1, 2006 at Lubbock, Texas)
Nebraska | ATTACK |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF| BLOCK |GEN
## Name GP| K E TA PCT| A| SA SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE
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5 Schwartz, Rachel.... 3| 0 0 0 .000| 2| 2 0| 0| 5| 0 0 0| 0
9 Pavan, Sarah........ 3| 16 6 34 .294| 1| 0 2| 0| 1| 0 2 0| 0
10 Larson, Jordan...... 3| 11 3 29 .276| 0| 0 1| 1| 12| 0 2 0| 0
11 Stalls, Tracy....... 3| 6 1 11 .455| 1| 0 1| 1| 2| 1 7 0| 0
12 Holloway, Rachel.... 3| 3 2 6 .167| 41| 1 0| 0| 5| 0 1 0| 0
15 Cooper, Kori........ 2| 4 1 8 .375| 0| 0 0| 0| 0| 0 1 0| 0
7 Mancuso, Dani....... 3| 8 3 15 .333| 0| 0 0| 0| 1| 0 4 0| 0
17 Gates, Amanda....... 2| 4 1 7 .429| 0| 0 0| 0| 0| 0 1 0| 0
18 Busboom, Dani....... 3| 0 0 0 .000| 1| 2 1| 0| 15| 0 0 0| 0
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Totals.............. 3| 52 17 110 .318| 46| 5 5| 2| 41| 1 18 0| 0
TEAM ATTACK PER GAME TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 10.0
Game K E TA Pct
1 19 4 25 .600 GAME SCORES 1 2 3 TEAM RECORDS
2 16 6 45 .222 Nebraska............ (3) 30 30 30 21-0, 13-0 Big 12
3 17 7 40 .250 Texas Tech.......... (0) 16 21 24 11-12, 4-10 Big 12
Texas Tech | ATTACK |SET| SERVE |SRV|DEF| BLOCK |GEN
## Name GP| K E TA PCT| A| SA SE| RE|DIG|BS BA BE|BHE
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4 Charlebois, Amy..... 3| 7 5 21 .095| 0| 0 2| 0| 1| 0 2 0| 0
6 Sang, Philister..... 3| 14 8 38 .158| 0| 0 1| 1| 5| 1 0 0| 0
7 Bucy, Robyn......... 1| 0 1 2 -.500| 0| 0 0| 0| 0| 1 0 0| 0
8 Lyons, Kiley........ 3| 5 6 18 -.056| 0| 1 1| 1| 6| 0 0 0| 0
11 Ziegler, Emily...... 2| 0 0 2 .000| 6| 0 0| 0| 0| 0 0 0| 0
15 Ostmeyer, Alicia.... 3| 2 0 4 .500| 0| 0 0| 0| 0| 0 0 0| 0
1 Pauley, Jamye....... 1| 0 1 3 -.333| 0| 0 0| 0| 1| 0 0 0| 0
2 Hicks, Holly........ 3| 0 0 3 .000| 25| 0 1| 0| 5| 1 0 0| 0
5 Hughes, Brittany.... 1| 2 1 3 .333| 0| 0 0| 1| 0| 0 0 0| 0
10 Hiller, Amanda...... 3| 1 0 1 1.000| 1| 1 0| 0| 12| 0 0 0| 0
12 Flores, Michelle.... 1| 0 2 5 -.400| 0| 0 1| 0| 0| 0 0 0| 0
14 Louis, Lindsey...... 2| 0 0 0 .000| 1| 0 0| 0| 6| 0 0 0| 0
18 Gottschalk, Laura... 3| 4 0 8 .500| 0| 0 0| 0| 0| 0 2 0| 0
TEAM................ | | | | 2| | |
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Totals.............. 3| 35 24 108 .102| 33| 2 6| 5| 36| 3 4 0| 0
TEAM ATTACK PER GAME TOTAL TEAM BLOCKS: 5.0
Game K E TA Pct
1 9 9 31 .000 Site: Lubbock, Texas (United Spirit Arena)
2 13 7 37 .162 Date: Nov 1, 2006 Attend: 653 Time: 1:22
3 13 8 40 .125 Referees: Steve Robb, Gloria Cox