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The second-ranked Nebraska volleyball team looks for its third straight NCAA National Semifinal appearance, as they take on sixth-ranked California in the NCAA Madison Regional Saturday night. Fans can watch tonight’s match on ESPNU with Maggie Gray providing play-by-play and Mike Dodd on color commentary or listen to all of the action on the Husker Sports Network and Huskers.com with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall calling all of the action. The stakes are high, as the winner of tonight’s match punches its ticket for the National Semifinals next Thursday night in Sacramento.
Nebraska (30-1) fought back from a 2-0 deficit to topple No. 24 Michigan State in five games last night. Jordan Larson totaled a season-high 20 kills and 16 digs to pace four Huskers with at least 10 kills. Nebraska, which has won 30 or more matches for the fourth straight year, is in a regional final for the fourth consecutive year - the longest stretch by the Huskers since they appeared in five straight regional finals from 1994 to 1998. Nebraska overcame a 2-0 deficit for the second time this season, and the second time in NU’s 95 NCAA Tournament matches.
The Huskers will be severely tested by a Golden Bear squad that is 25-7 on the season following a 3-0 sweep of Iowa State in Friday’s first semifinal. In that match, outside hitters Angie Pressey and Hana Cutura each notched 16 kills, as Cal out-hit Iowa State, .303-.148.
The Huskers are no strangers to postseason volleyball, compiling a 73-22 (.768) record in 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and have won 14 of the last 15 NCAA Tournament matches dating back to 2005. This is Nebraska’s 18th NCAA regional finals appearances, including seventh in John Cook’s eight seasons at NU. The Huskers are 10-8 all-time in regional finals.
Last Time Out: Jordan Larson totaled a season-high 20 kills and and added 16 digs to lead No. 2 Nebraska to a 25-30, 28-30, 30-17, 30-28, 15-9 victory over No. 24 Michigan State. 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.
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.
Noting the Huskers
?-With last night’s victory, Nebraska reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth straight season and the 19th time in school history. Nebraska is the only school in Division I volleyball to win 30 or more matches in each of the last four seasons.
?-Nebraska will be looking to reach the NCAA National Semifinals in three straight years for the first time in school history.
?-Nebraska has now won 30 or more matches nine times in the last 12 seasons. In that stretch, the other 10 Big 12 teams combined to win 30 wins just once - Kansas State in 2003.
?-Nebraska has won 23 of its last 24 matches against ranked foes going back to the start of the 2006 season. The Huskers are 86-12 (.878) against ranked teams in eight seasons under John Cook.
?-Nebraska leads the nation in kills (17.81) and assists (16.46) per game and ranks third with a .329 hitting percentage. The Huskers have hit .300 or better 25 times in 31 matches, including each of its last six matches.
?-Nebraska is making its 26th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007, a total which ties for third among all Division I programs. Only Penn State and Stanford have longer streaks, as those two schools have qualified for all 27 NCAA Championships. NU’s streak is easily the longest among Big 12 teams.
?-The Huskers’ streak of 14 straight NCAA Regionals is the longest active in the country, as only three programs (Nebraska, UCLA and Penn State) have advanced to an NCAA Regional in each of the past five seasons. NU is 26-12 all-time in NCAA regionals.
?-The Big 12 has turned in an impressive showing in the NCAA Tournament, going 10-4 in the first three rounds and placing two teams in the NCAA Regional Finals for second straight season. The Big 12 and the Pac-10 are the only two leagues with at least two teams in today’s regional finals.
?-Tracy Stalls has been in double figures in kills in each of Nebraska’s last six matches. In that stretch, the senior middle blocker is hitting .596 and averaging 3.50 kills per game.
?-With her double-double last night, Jordan Larson now has 38 career double doubles, including 11 this season. NU is 37-1 when Larson records a double-double.
?-Jordan Larson is hitting .370 and averagin 3.55 kills per game in the NCAA Tournament. With one more service ace, Larson will tie NU’s postseason record that she originally set last season.
?-Nebraska is averaging 2.36 service aces per game during the NCAA Tournament and ranks second in the Big 12 in aces at 1.84 per game.
?-Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls could finish their careers during one of the most successful eras in college volleyball history. They have been a part of a national championship team (2006), two national championship matches (2005-06) and four Big 12 titles (2004-06). Here is a look at the winningest classes in school history during the NCAA era.
?-Sarah Pavan is eight kills away from becoming just the fourth player in the Big 12 era (1996-present) to reach 2,000 career kills. With 1,992 kills, Pavan is fourth on the Big 12’s all-time kills chart.
?-Christina Houghtelling became the 20th Husker to reach 1,000 career kills and the second Husker to reach that plateau this season.
? With Sarah Pavan and Tracy Stalls both reaching 50 aces this season, it marks the fourth time in school history that two players have totaled at least 50 aces in a season (1984, 1983 and 1987).
?-Both Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson are climbing NU’s career list for aces. With 11 aces in three NCAA Tournament matches, Larson has 146 aces, four shy of former U.S. National Team setter Lori Endicott for third place on NU’s all-time list. Pavan is close behind at 144.