No. 1 Huskers Head to Kansas

No. 1 Nebraska (10-0, 3-0 Big 12)
at Kansas (9-5, 2-2 Big 12)Wed., Sept. 26 ? 7 p.m.
Horejsi Family Athletics Center

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com

Stats: Huskers.com

Video: HuskersNside (subscription required)

The top-ranked Nebraska volleyball team begins the week in Lawrence, Kan., as the Huskers take on the Kansas Jayhawks Wednesday evening. First serve between the Huskers (10-0, 3-0 Big 12) and Jayhawks (9-5, 2-2 Big 12) is set for 7 p.m. from a sold-out Horejsi Family Athletics Center.  Fans can follow all of the action on selected Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KHUS 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com.

While the Huskers’ potent offensive attack has been the the story through the first 10 matches, Nebraska’s defense has been stout as well. NU is holding opponents to a league-low .153 hitting and has held six of 10 teams below .150. On Saturday, the Huskers held Texas A&M to a season-low .124 hitting, more than .180 below the Aggies’ season average.  The Huskers totaled 53 digs on Saturday, including 16 by Rachel Schwartz and 10 apiece from both Jordan Larson and Sarah Pavan. The 53 digs marked the fourth time this season that NU has swept an opponent and totaled at least 50 digs. As a team, the Huskers enter Wednesday’s match ranekd second in the league in digs at 18.87 per game, just .03 behind Big 12 leader Baylor.

The Huskers will face a rejuvinated Kansas squad that has won seven of its last nine contests, including consecutive wins over Missouri and Texas Tech last week. The five-game win over Missouri in Columbia not only was a first for KU since 2001, but also snapped a 12-match conference losing streak dating back to last fall. KU, which also has a win over MVC co-leader Missouri State, is one win away from matching its entire overall and Big 12 win total from a season ago, a year which snapped KU’s streak of three straight NCAA appearances.

NU Volleyball Quick Hits
?-The Husker offense has been a model of consistently, hitting .336 or better in each of its last six matches.
?-The Huskers have averaged 2.33 service aces per game in Big 12 play after averaging just 1.45 per game prior to the start of conference action.
? WIth her next service ace, Sarah Pavan will crack NU’s top-10 list for aces in a career.  Pavan, who has at least one ace in all 10 of the Huskers’ matches this season, has averaged .51 aces/game over NU’s last 20 matches.
?-Tracy Stalls is now four blocks away from becoming the 11th Husker to reach 500 blocks in a career.

Saturday’s Match vs. Baylor Set for 7 p.m.
Nebraska’s match against Baylor on Saturday, Sept. 29, is now set for a 7 p.m. start.   The match was listed as a TBA on the volleyball schedule until the football time for the NU-Iowa State game was determined.

Scouting Kansas
Head Coach Ray Bechard (157-132 in 10 seasons at KU) has the Jayhawks playing their best volleyball of the year heading into this week. KU is 9-5 on the season and has won seven of its last nine contests. The Jayhawks come into Wednesday’s match with a two-game win streak, highlighted by a five-game road win at Missouri last Wednesday.

Kansas runs its own version of the 6-2 offense, taking advantage of the talents of senior Emily Brown in that system. Brown leads KU in assists (6.81) and also averages 2.08 kills, 1.92 digs and 0.85 digs per contest. Brown recorded her second triple-double of the season with 10 kills, 25 assists and 11 digs in a sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday. KU features eight players averaging at least 1.50 kills per game, including freshman Jenna Kaiser, who averages a team-best 2.49 kills per game.

KU also has a pair of players with Nebraska ties in middle blockers Savannah Noyes (Indianola) and Paige Mazour (Franklin). Noyes is second on the team with 2.13 kills per game and also ranks among team leaders with 0.63 blocks per game. Mazour has had three kills and two blocks in limited duty this season.

Nebraska has won 78 of the 79 meetings between the two squads, including a pair of sweeps last season. The Huskers’ 78 wins against Kansas are the most among any opponent.

Last Matchup vs. Kansas
Jordan Larson totaled 13 kills on .571 hitting, leading the Huskers to a 30-16, 30-16, 30-20 sweep of Kansas on Nov. 22.  The Huskers were also paced by Dani Mancuso, who matched her then-season high with 11 kills while hitting a season-best .647. Larson and Mancuso helped Nebraska hit .476 as a team, as seven different attackers hit .300 or better against KU.

In addition to the performance of the outside hitters, the Huskers also received strong performances from Kori Cooper and Amanda Gates, who combined for 13 kills in 15 swings. Cooper had six kills in six swings, while Gates totaled a then-career-high seven kills on .778 hitting and a pair of blocks.

Worth Noting
?-Nebraska brings a national-best 20-match win streak into Wednesday’s contest at Kansas. In that span, NU has dropped just six games and has been pushed to five games only once - the 2006 NCAA regional final against Minnesota.
?-The Huskers are 67-2 (.971) in their last 69 Big 12 Conference matches dating back to the 2003 season.
?-Nebraska is 68-3 (.958) on the road in Big 12 action in eight seasons under Coach John Cook.
?-The Huskers have played their last 83 matches as the nation’s top-ranked team in the AVCA poll, dating back to the end of the 2004 camapign. NU is 79-4 in that stretch.
?-With the No. 1 ranking in Monday’s CSTV/AVCA poll, the Huskers have now spent 77 weeks all-time at No. 1, the most of any Division I program. UCLA is second with 51 weeks. NU has been ranked No. 1 in 37 of the last 38 polls dating back to the start of 2005.
?-Nebraska lead the nation in both assists (16.81) and kills (18.03) per game, while its .338 hitting percentage is second only to Washington’s .341 team hitting percentage. All three marks are on pace to shatter NU’s single-season school records.
?-Balance has been at the heart of Nebraska’s offensive attack as four different players - Sarah Pavan, Jordan Larson, Christina Houghtelling and Kori Cooper - have led NU in kills in matches this season, while Tracy Stalls leads the nation with a .500 hitting percentage. All five of NU’s primary attackers average at least 2.48 kills per game.
?-Nebraska has a 106-5 (.955) record since the start of the 2004 season.
?-Only six Division I programs remain undefeated entering this week’s action with half of the teams (Stanford, Washington and USC) coming from the Pac-10. The Huskers’ match at Kansas on Wednesday is the next time any of the six teams are in action, while the next matchup of undefeated squads takes place on Thursday with Stanford traveling to USC.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #11 Tracy Stalls: 6-4, Sr., Denver, Colo. - Two-year captain who earned second-team AVCA All-America honors in 2006. Stalls leads the country in hitting percentage (.500) and averages 2.58 kills and 1.10 blocks per game in 2007. Over NU’s last six matches, she is hitting .548 and averaging 2.83 kills per game. Stalls had eight kills, three blocks and eight digs in the Huskers’ sweep of Texas A&M on Sept. 22 and had 10 kills on .600 hitting and five stuffs vs. Texas Tech on Sept. 15. Stalls totaled seven kills on .462 hitting and three blocks in a sweep of No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12. She was named to the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament team, averaging 3.00 kills per game on .654 hitting. Stalls hit over .600 in both matches, including a season-best .692 (9-0-13) against New Mexico State. She had 16 kills on .640 hitting and four blocks in a win over No. 5  UCLA to earn a spot on the AVCA Showcase All-Tournament Team.  Stalls averaged 2.67 kills and 1.41 blocks per game in 2006, leading the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.400) and ranking 11th nationally. Stalls spent part of the summer with the USA National Team, playing in the Pan America Cup and averaging 2.25 kills per game while hitting .615.

MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, So., Amarillo, Texas -Two-year starter who has enjoyed a breakout 2007 campaign. Cooper is third in the league in hitting percentage (.402), averaging 2.48 kills and 1.04 blocks per game. She is also third on the team in assists (19), eclipsing her entire 2006 total in just nine matches. Cooper, who did not play against Texas A&M on Saturday, leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage in league play (.625) and is second on the team with 3.33 kills per game. Cooper had 11 kills and five blocks at Texas Tech on Sept. 15 and drilled nine kills on a career-best .692 hitting with three stuffs versus No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12. Cooper has reached double figures in kills three times in 2007, including 10-kill performances against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25 and versus No. 3 Penn State on Sept. 2. She totaled 10 kills on .350 hitting in a sweep of Penn State and hit .625 on eight swings against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3. She sparked NU to a win over UCLA in the AVCA Showcase with 10 kills on .526 hitting and four blocks. Cooper was one of two freshmen starters in 2006, averaging 1.67 kills and 0.95 blocks per game in 30 matches. 
-OR - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-1, Jr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates alternates with Cooper at the M2 spot in the Husker lineup. She averages 1.62 kills and 0.88 blocks per game, appearing in six matches. Gates comes off her best match of the year, recording a career-high eight kills on .429 hitting and two blocks against Texas A&M on Sept. 22. She totaled three kills in as many swings against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3.  Gates started 11 matches in 2006, averaging 1.27 kills and 1.18 blocks per game. Gates, who has a 4.00 GPA in communication studies, totaled a career-high 10 blocks in the 2006 opener against San Diego. She made a major contribution in the NCAA title match, coming off the bench for three key blocks to spark NU’s comeback from a 27-25 deficit in game three.

L - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Jr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz, who was NU’s defensive and serving specialist in 2006, won the starting libero job in fall camp. Schwartz is ninth in the Big 12 with 3.75 digs per game, establishing a career high with 17 digs against fifth-ranked UCLA on Aug. 25 and against No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3. Schwartz has been in double figures in digs in five of the last six matches she appeared in and comes off a 16-dig effort against Texas A&M on Sept. 22. Schwartz totaled 10 digs and matched her career high with three service aces at Texas Tech on Sept. 15. Schwartz started 29 matches as NU’s defensive specialist in 2006, averaging 2.41 digs, 0.23 aces and 0.30 assists per game. She reached double figures in digs 15 times despite playing only three rotations.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan: 6-5, Sr., Kitchener, Ontario - Pavan is a three-time, first-team AVCA All-American and reigning Honda-Broderick Cup winner. She averages 4.74 kills, 2.00 digs and 0.52 service aces per game, ranking third in the Big 12 in kills and aces and second in points (5.63). Pavan collected her second double-double of the year against Texas A&M on Sept. 22, totaling 12 kills and 10 digs in a sweep of the Aggies.  She led NU to a sweep of No. 7 Texas on Sept. 12, delivering a team-high 17 kills on .520 hitting. Pavan was selected as the MVP of both the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. She was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Aug. 27, totaling 39 kills on .385 hitting in a pair of wins. She was dominant in a sweep of No. 17 Cal Poly on Sept. 3, finishing with 17 kills on .485 hitting against the Mustangs.  Pavan tallied a match-high 25 kills, 12 digs and three blocks in a win over No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25.  She was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2006, leading the Big 12 in kills (5.10) and points per game (5.98), while hitting .313 on the season. Pavan, who needs 122 kills to break Allison Weston’s school record of 1,778, is on pace to become just the fourth four-time, first-team All-American in NCAA history. She also carries a 4.0 GPA in biochemistry and was recognized as the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for all sports at the Division I level for the 2006-07 year. Pavan declined an opportunity to play with the Canadian team this summer to take an upper-level chemistry class so she can graduate in May. She made her Canadian National Team debut at age 16.

OH - #10 Jordan Larson: 6-2, Jr., Hooper, Neb. - Larson is a returning first-team AVCA All-American and one of the nation’s premier outside hitters. She enters Wednesday’s match averaging 3.51 kills, 3.48 digs and 0.39 service aces per game. Larson comes off her team-best fifth double-double of the year, a 15-kill, 10-dig effort against Texas A&M on Sept. 22.  She earned all-tourney honors at the AVCA Showcase and the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic. Larson recorded a season-high 16 kills and a match-high 14 digs against No. 11 Duke on Sept. 7. Larson had 11 kills, 15 digs and a season-high five blocks against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. Last year, she averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per game and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in both categories. She was the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year and totaled a team-high 22 double-doubles in 2006. Larson had 19 kills on .378 hitting and 15 digs in the win over No. 2 Stanford in the NCAA title match. She was also the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Gainesville Regional with 3.62 kills, 3.25 digs and 0.50 aces per game, highlighted by a career-high 21 kills and 17 digs in the regional final against No. 9 Minnesota.

OH - #3 Christina Houghtelling: 6-2, Sr., Cambridge, Neb. - Houghtelling has returned to her 2005 form after missing all of last season after shoulder surgery. She leads all Big 12 outside hitters in digs and ranks seventh overall with 3.87 per game while also averaging 3.17 kills per game.  Houghtelling had 11 kills on .450 hitting and eight digs against Texas A&M on Sept. 22. She recorded a match-high 15 digs and added six kills at Texas Tech on Sept. 15. Houghtelling was the MVP of the Amertias Players Challenge, hitting .535 and averaging 4.167 kills, 3.00 digs and 0.67 blocks per game. She recorded a season-high 15 kills on .519 hitting and nine digs in the sweep of New Mexico State. Houghtelling had 12 kills and hit .379 against No. 17 Cal Poly. She had two double-doubles (vs. Penn State and UCLA), including a career-high 23 digs against the Bruins on Aug. 25. She topped NU in digs in both matches at the AVCA Showcase en route to Big 12 Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors, highlighted by a career-best 23 digs against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. She was the 2005 AVCA Player of the Year, averaging 3.69 kills, 2.49 digs and 1.03 blocks per game in helping the Huskers to 33 wins and an NCAA finals appearance. She also was a first-team Academic All-American who carries a 3.90 GPA entering her final college semester.

S - #12 Rachel Holloway: 5-10, So., Franklin, Tenn. - Holloway is one of five returning AVCA All-Americans in the Husker lineup and held her job despite a strong challenge from senior Maggie Griffin. She is playing at an exceptionally high level, leading the Big 12 in assists (13.48) while adding 2.58 digs and 1.00 kills per game. She guides an offense that leads the country in kills and assists per game while ranking second in hitting percentage despite facing a schedule that featured five ranked teams. Holloway played one of the best matches of her career vs. No. 7 Texas on Sept. 11, dishing out 39 assists as NU hit .400 as a team while also adding six kills and six digs.  She has two double-doubles on the year - a 35 assist, 12-dig outing against Creighton on Aug. 31 and a 61 assist, 16-dig effort against No. 5 UCLA on Aug. 25. Holloway had a solid perfomance against New Mexico State, totaling 39 assists, eight digs, six kills and four blocks as NU hit .409 against the Aggies. Holloway was a third-team All-American in 2006, averaging 13.43 assists, 2.49 digs and 1.11 kills per game, finishing 11th nationally in assists. Holloway became only the second freshman in NCAA history to be a starting setter for a title team.

Last Time Out: Huskers Sweep Texas A&M
Behind a career night from middle blocker Amanda Gates, No. 1 Nebraska continued its winning ways with a 30-14, 30-20, 30-25 sweep of Texas A&M.

Gates, making her first start in over a year, totaled eight kills on .429 hitting with a pair of blocks, as the Huskers held Texas A&M to a season-low .124 hitting.  Gates, who had just five kills in NU’s first nine matches, established personal bests in both kills and attacks (13) in her first start of 2007.

Gates led a Husker attack that hit .350 as a team and received strong efforts from Jordan Larson and Christina Houghtelling. Larson totaled a match-high 15 kills and 10 digs for her team-best fifth double-double, while Houghtelling added 11 kills on .450 hitting. Sarah Pavan also chipped in a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs, helping the Huskers to their 20th straight win dating back to last November.