Huskers Rally to Reach Regional Final

Madison, Wis. ? Jordan Larson’s 20 kills and 16 digs led second-ranked Nebraska to a 25-30, 28-30, 30-17, 30-28, 15-9 victory over No. 24 Michigan State Friday night at the UW Field House.

Larson’s first 20-kill match of the season propelled Nebraska (30-1) into Saturday’s regional title match against sixth-ranked Cal, a 3-0 winner over Iowa State in Friday’s first regional semifinal. The match will take place at 8 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

It marked the third time in her career that Larson totaled 20 kills and her highest single-match total since she totaled a career-high 21 kills in the 2006 NCAA Regional title match. Larson, who totaled her team-best 11th double-double of the season, was one of four Huskers to total double figures in kills as Nebraska reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth straight season.

It marked just the second time in NU’s postseason history ? and 12th time in Nebraska’s 1,217 all-time matches -- that the Huskers have overcome a 2-0 deficit and is the fifth time it has happened over the last four years, including a five-game win at Kansas State on Nov. 3. That was the last time the Huskers dropped a game prior to tonight, as NU had swept its last eight opponents until running into a fired-up Michigan State team on Friday.

Sarah Pavan totaled 18 kills and four blocks, while middle blockers Tracy Stalls (15) and Kori Cooper (12) combined for 27 kills and both hit over .400 in the win. Rachel Holloway totaled 64 assists and added 11 digs and eight kills on .615 hitting as the Huskers hit .300 on the night and out-hit the Spartans in each of the final four games.

The Huskers needed a balanced performance to offset strong nights from MSU outside hitters Ashley Schaltze and Katie Johnson, who combined for 45 kills for Michigan State, which ended their season with a 21-14 record. Johnson totaled a match-high 24 kills and added 13 digs, while Schaltze chipped in 21 kills and 13 digs.

In game one, Johnson carried the Spartans to a 30-25, as the outside hitter totaled nine of her match-high 24 kills on .500 hitting to lead MSU’s attack. MSU outhit NU, .326-.279, as the Huskers fell behind early and mounted a comeback that fell short. Ashley Schaltze sparked an early Michigan State run, as she totaled two straight kills in a run of four points, turning a 5-all tie into a 9-5 Spartan lead. The Huskers continued to struggle with their passing early, as MSU took an 18-10 advantage after Jessica Hohl slammed home an overpass. NU trailed by as many as nine points before the Huskers began to rally behind Larson and Holloway, who guided the Huskers on a 8-3 spurt. Holloway started the run with consecutive kills, while Larson totaled four kills as the Huskers got to within 24-21 on a Christina Houghtelling’s kill. The Huskers would stay in striking distance and were within three points on three more occasions, the last being 28-25 on a Tracy Stalls kill, but a ball-handling error and a block by Vanessa King and Schaltze gave the Spartans the opener.

In game two, the Huskers had an opportunity to send the match to the locker room tied at one game each, but a late Spartan rally helped MSU pull out a 30-28 win. NU held MSU to .232 hitting, but Schaltze and Johnson combined for 14 kills for MSU, which used a 6-1 spurt to pull out the win. Nebraska quickly fell behind 5-0, but stormed back by winning seven of the next 10 rallies, including consecutive stuffs by Stalls and Holloway to pull to within 8-7. Nebraska trailed 15-11, but used a 6-1 run to take its first lead of the game at 17-16 on a Holloway kill. The teams traded points before two straight kills from Pavan, who had six kills in the game, gave the Huskers a 24-22 advantage. The Huskers eventually pushed the margin to 27-24 on a Stalls kill, but two kills from both Johnson and Schaltze put the Spartans ahead 28-27. The Huskers fought off one game point, as a Holloway kill made it 29-28, but a Husker attack error gave MSU the contest.

In game three, the Huskers rode the back of Larson in game three, rolling to a 30-17 victory. Larson totaled seven kills on 11 swings, as the Huskers hit .548 and held MSU to .111 hitting. Larson got the Huskers going by accounting for NU’s first four points and than running off four straight points at the service line to spot Nebraska an early 8-3 advantage. The Huskers blocking then took over midway thought the game, as two Christina Houghtelling solo stuffs highlighted a 6-0 spurt, as NU turned a 14-11 lead to an eight point lead after a Kayla Banwarth ace. MSU pulled to within 23-17, but a Cooper kill started a 7-0 run to close out the game with Larson running the final six points off serve. 

The Huskers turned up the defensive intensity in game four, holding MSU to .119 hitting in recording a 30-28 victory. The teams traded points early on until the Spartans ran off four straight points, turning a 10-all tie into a 14-10 cushion after a Schatzle kill. The Huskers quickly regrouped, winning the next four rallies to pull even. Trailing 17-15, Nebraska used the strong serving of Houghtelling to run off seven straight points, taking a 22-17 lead on a block by Holloway and Stalls. Michigan State chipped away at the Husker lead, using an 8-2 spurt of their own to tie the game at 25-all on a Johnson kill.  The Huskers led 28-26, but a service error and an ace from Schaltze tied the game and forced the Huskers to take their second timeout. NU found Stalls for a kill to put NU up 29-28 before Houghtelling, who served nine of NU’s 30 points in game four, closed out the game with an ace to send the match to game five.

In the finale, Pavan, the reigning AVCA National Player of the Year, took over, as the senior totaled three kills and three blocks in leading Nebraska to a decisive win. A kill and a solo block from Pavan started the game as a Kori Cooper kill quickly spotted NU a 3-0 lead. Michigan State pulled to within 3-2, but kills from Holloway and Cooper quickly pushed the Husker lead to 5-2. NU would build on the lead, as Cooper and Pavan combined on two straight stuffs to make it a 7-2 game. The Huskers led 8-3 at the changeover and built a 12-6 cushion before MSU made one final charge. The Spartans pulled to within 12-8 but a Holloway kill gave NU some breathing room before Pavan and Larson closed out the match with kills moments later.

Postgame Notes
-The Huskers advance to the NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the fourth straight year and 17th time overall.
-The Huskers are now 8-0-2 all-time versus Michigan State, have won 16 straight versus Big Ten teams and improves to103-23-4 all-time versus the Big Ten.
-The Huskers came back from a 0-2 deficit for the 12th time in school history, second time in postseason play and second time this year.
-Junior Jordan Larson recorded her 11th double-double of the season and 38th of her career (20 kills, 16 digs). Her 20 kills were a season-high. It was Larson third career 20-kill game, her second in the NCAA Tournament. Nebraska is 37-1 when Larson records a double-double
- Nebraska Head Coach John Cook is 14-0 against Big Ten teams since taking over at Nebraska in 2000.
-The Huskers have now won nine NCAA Tournament matches in a row and 14 of their last 15 NCAA matches.
-The Huskers are now 73-22 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 29-12 in the NCAA Regionals.
-With the win, Nebraska earned their 30th win on the year for the fourth year in a row and 19th time in school history.
-The Huskers have won 23 of their last 24 matches versus ranked opponents since the start of 2006. Head Coach John Cook is now 86-12 versus ranked teams.
-With a loss in game one, the Huskers snapped a 27-game win streak dating back to Nov. 3
-Nebraska lost two games in a match for the third time this year and lost back-to-back games for the second time.
-Nebraska improves to 3-0 on the year in five-game matches.
-It was Nebraska’s 25th match in which it hit .300 or better this year.
-Senior Christina Houghtelling recorded her 1000th career kill in game three.
-Senior Tracy Stalls recorded a season-high in attacks with 28. She also finished with at least 10 kills (15) for the sixth straight match ? the longest stretch in her career.
-Freshman Kayla Banwarth had a career high with 21 digs and two aces.

Nebraska Post-Game Quotes:

Head Coach John Cook: “Michigan State played great tonight. As much as we prepared, we haven’t played a team in the last month that played as hard and as physical as Michigan State; especially with their two outside hitters. They passed the ball really well and they were really taking it to us and it took us awhile to adjust and wake up and figure out how hard we’re going to have to play in the NCAA tournament. We won 27 straight games and I think we were lulled a little bit. Michigan State laid everything out there tonight. It was a great effort by them.”

On Nebraska’s play after game two: “Michigan State was playing flawless volleyball and when that happens you start feeling it and you get a little uptight. The great thing tonight was that we pulled ourselves out of it and we broke down Michigan State. We haven’t had to do that in a long, long time, probably since Kansas State. This was great for us. We know we have it in us; sometimes an opponent just has to bring it out of you. Now this will really help us for tomorrow.”

Jordan Larson on learning from past matches: “I think it [reminded the players] a little bit [of the Minnesota match from last year]. Tracy [Stalls] talked with us a little bit after game two and we really reflected back on the Texas match. The Texas match was key for us because we felt [Texas] had the momentum the whole time. We never could step outside our own and look at the game as the whole and that’s what we really needed to focus on in game three. Stepping outside, taking a deeper look and really focusing on one point, one pass, one set, and one kill. You can’t look ahead to the end or it’s not going to be a good ending. We reflected back on the Texas match and we wanted to control the rest of the match.”

Sarah Pavan on potentially playing her last match: “When you’re a senior in the tournament, that definitely goes through your head. I don’t think any of the four of us were ready for this to be our last time on the floor. At the game two break, you could tell the way Tracy [Stalls] was speaking and the way we came out in game three that none of us were ready for the season to be over. This group has just so much left that we didn’t bring tonight that we can bring tomorrow and we’re just going to want to leave all with that taste in our mouths. We want to continue to play together as long as we can and we’re not ready for it to be over yet so that was definitely a big part of it.”