Huskers Host Red Raiders on Senior Night

Texas Tech (5-23, 0-17 Big 12)
at No. 3 Nebraska (25-2, 16-2 Big 12)
Saturday, Nov. 22 ? NU Coliseum ? 7 p.m.

Radio:  Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com
Live Stats:     Huskers.com
TV:     None
Live Video:     HuskersNside (subscription required)

The Nebraska volleyball team makes its final regular-season home appearance on Saturday night, as the Huskers play host to Texas Tech. First serve at a sold-out NU Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on the Husker Sports Radio Network with John Baylor, Diane Mendenhall and Dani Busboom, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com. Saturday’s match will also be carried live on HuskersNside.

Saturday’s match will mark the final regular-season home appearance for seniors Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz, as the tri-captains have helped the Huskers to a 121-7 record, three Big 12 titles and the 2006 national championship. They will be honored in post-match ceremonies, as they look to help the Huskers complete an undefeated home campaign for the fourth straight year.

The third-ranked Huskers (25-2, 16-2 Big 12) look to bounce back following a four-set setback at Texas Wednesday night, as NU is just percentage points ahead of the Longhorns in the Big 12 race. Jordan Larson’s 15 kills and 16 digs led three Huskers in double figures, but the Huskers were held to just .165 hitting in the loss. One bright spot in the loss was the offensive performance of Amanda Gates, who tied her career high with 11 kills and hit .450 against the Longhorns.

Texas Tech (5-23, 0-17 Big 12) played one of its best matches of the season on Wednesday, taking Baylor to five sets before falling 15-13 in the finale. It marked fourth time Tech has pushed an opponent to five sets in league play this season.  Freshman Amanda Dowdy led the Red Raiders with 20 kills on .429 hitting, while Hayley Ball had 14 kills and 10 digs.

Quick Sets
?-NU’s win at Kansas was its 25th of the year, as the Huskers have won at least 25 matches for 16 straight years and 33 of 34 years in program history.
?-Jordan Larson collected her 50th career double-double against Texas. She has had six consecutive double-doubles for NU.
?-Amanda Gates’ 11 kills at Texas marked the third time in her career that she has reached double figures in kills.
?-With a win over Texas Tech on Saturday, the Huskers could finish with an unbeaten home record for the sixth time in nine years and the 18th time in school history.

Worth Noting
?-The Huskers have done a good job of bouncing back from losses under Head Coach John Cook. The Huskers are 10-1 in matches after a loss in the same season (Cook’s other six losses have come in the NCAA Tournament).
?-Nebraska will be gunning for its 93rd consecutive win inside the state on Saturday against Texas Tech. The Huskers have not lost in the state of Nebraska since September of 2004.
?-The Huskers have won their last 54 Big 12 home contests dating back to the 2003 season and are 87-2 (.978) in conference home matches under John Cook.
?-Saturday’s match against Texas Tech will be the 118th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum, dating back to 2001. NU is 111-6 during the streak, including 75 consecutive wins in the Coliseum.
?-Following Wednesday’s loss, NU fell to 92-14 (.868) versus ranked opponents under John Cook. The Huskers are 17-7 (.708) against top-five teams this decade, including an impressive 13-3 mark over the last four years.
?-Nebraska can still win a share of the Big 12 title with wins over Texas Tech on Saturday and at Baylor on Nov. 29.
?-The Huskers have swept 18 of their 27 opponents during the 2008 season.
?-Jordan Larson collected her 50th career double-double against Texas on Wednesday. It marked only the second time in her career that Larson posted a double-double in a losing effort.
?-The Huskers are now 6-1 against ranked opponents this season, including wins over current top-10 teams Stanford, Texas and USC.
?-The Huskers are 95-5 (.950) in their last 100 conference matches dating back to 2003.
?-Two-time All-American Jordan Larson is on pace to become the first Husker to average more than three kills and digs per set in a career. She enters the Texas Tech match averaging 3.56 kills and 3.17 digs per set in 127 career matches.
?-Tara Mueller has been on a tear of late, averaging 3.85 kills and 2.65 digs per set over her last seven matches.
?-Nebraska reached the 20-win plateau with its win at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. The Huskers have won at least 20 matches every year in program history (a total of 34 years). The second-longest active streak in the Big 12 is five by Texas.
??Nebraska’s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz will go for their 122nd career win Saturday against Texas Tech. The trio has helped NU to a 121-7 record (.945 winning pct.) over the last four years. Of their 128 matches, NU has been ranked in the top three of the Bison/AVCA poll in 126 of them.
?-NU’s nine non-conference opponents are a combined 166-66 (.716) entering this week’s matches. All nine teams have winning records, while Stanford, Tulane, Oral Roberts and New Mexico have already won at least 20 matches.
?-The Huskers were ranked third in the latest NCAA’s RPI rankings released on Nov. 10. NU is 6-1 against top-20 teams in the RPI, including wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 5 Texas.

Scouting Texas Tech
Under sixth-year Coach Nancy Todd, a youthful Red Raider team has struggled in Big 12 play. Freshman middle blocker Amanda Dowdy leads Texas Tech with 2.75 kills per set, while Brandi Hood averages 2.26 kills per set. Tech starts three first-year Division I players, including outside hitter Hayley Ball (2.03 k/set) and setter Caroline Witte (7.59 a/set).

Series History: The Huskers have dominated the all-time series, winning 29 of the 30 meetings in the series dating back to 1979. NU is 24-1 against the Red Raiders in Big 12 action and has not lost since Texas Tech handed NU a five-set loss in 1996. NU has swept 15 of the past 16 match ups, including each of the last nine contests.

Last Meeting: Nebraska used a balanced offensive attack to subdue Texas Tech, 25-13, 25-23, 25-13 on Oct. 1 Tara Mueller’s 13 kills led the Huskers, as four players totaled at least nine kills.  Amanda Gates drilled home 10 kills on just 14 swings, while Lindsey Licht and Jordan Larson added nine kills apiece to help the Huskers out-hit Texas Tech, .337-.118, on the night. Licht hit a season-best .667 on 12 swings while Sydney Anderson dished out 37 assists and added four kills and a pair of aces. Kayla Banwarth added 14 digs, as the Huskers allowed just 20 kills, its lowest total in the rally-scoring era.

Husker Probable Starters
MB - #17 Amanda Gates: 6-2, Sr., Columbus, Neb. - Gates is in her first year as a full-time starter for NU after being the Huskers’ top backup. She averages 1.70 kills and a team-best 1.11 blocks per set, ranking fifth in the league in blocks and seventh in hitting percentage (.334). Gates matched her career high in kills for the second time at No. 4 Texas, coming up with 11 kills on .450 hitting. She  had eight kills on a career-best .727 hitting and a pair of blocks against Kansas on Nov. 15. Gates has led NU in blocks 13 times, including a career-high 10 stuffs at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17. Gates had 10 kills on .571 hitting at Texas Tech on Oct. 1 and totaled a personal-best 11 kills at Iowa State on Sept. 27. Earlier in the year, Gates tied career highs in both blocks (10) and kills (eight) at Kansas State on Sept. 17. Last year, she averaged 1.29 kills and 0.81 blocks per set over 16 matches. Gates appeared in 23 matches as a sophomore and had 10 blocks against San Diego in her first career start in 2006. Gates is one of three Huskers named Academic All-District, carrying a 3.96 GPA in communication studies.

MB - #6 Jordan Wilberger: 6-1, R-Fr., Scottsbluff, Neb. - Wilberger has been NU’s primary backup at middle blocker in recent weeks and is aveaging 1.17 kills on .700 hitting and 0.17 blocks in limited duty. She played the majority of the final set at No. 4 Texas, coming up with a pair of kills and a block. She also had two kills in limited duty against Oklahoma on Oct. 8. She redshirted in 2007 after earning second-team all-state honors as a senior, delivering 311 kills and 158 blocks to help Scottsbluff to a 25-9 record and state tournament appearance in 2006.

S - #1 Sydney Anderson: 6-0, So., Salt Lake City, Utah - Anderson is in her first season at NU after spending 2007 with the U.S. National Team in Colorado Springs. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, Anderson averages 11.76 assists, 2.04 digs and 0.30 aces per set, leading the league in assists and ranking eighth in service aces. She is fourth in the country in assists and has five double-doubles, including 43 assists and 14 digs at Colorado on Oct. 29. She has helped NU rank in the top 15 in kills, assists and hitting percentage, as the Huskers have hit .300 or better 12 times. Anderson had 42 assists, nine digs and four kills, while helping the Huskers hit .447 at Kansas on Nov. 15. She had 38 assists and seven digs as NU hit .351 in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 12. Anderson had 42 assists and two blocks in helping NU hit .352 against No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Anderson dished out a season-high 53 assists and added 10 digs while helping NU hit .319 versus No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. She began her collegiate career at Utah, earning first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2006. That year, she averaged 12.45 assists, 2.77 digs and 0.76 blocks per set en route to being named both the MWC Setter and Freshman of the Year.

L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, So., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth is in her first full season as NU’s libero, averaging 4.21 digs and 0.79 assists per set, ranking third in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs in 23 matches and 31 of her 35 career starts and has topped NU in digs 20 times this season. Banwarth enjoyed a career night at Texas A&M on Nov. 5, setting personal bests in both digs (27) and aces (three) and chipping in four assists. It is one of nine matches with at least 15 digs, including 20 digs at Creighton on Oct. 4 and against USC on Aug. 31. Banwarth earned a spot on the Runza/AVCA Showcase All-Tournament team after averaging 4.85 digs per set in wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 USC. Banwarth closed the 2007 season as Nebraska’s libero and averaged 2.75 digs, 0.45 assists and 0.17 service aces per set. She was a three-time all-state selection at Wahlert Catholic High School in Iowa and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.

OPP - #4 Lindsey Licht: 6-5, So., Aurora, Colo. - Licht is in her first year as a full-time starter, averaging 2.56 kills and 0.88 blocks per set this season. Licht has hit .450 or better five times, including a season-high .667 with nine kills on 12 swings at Texas Tech on Oct. 1. Licht saw a stretch of five straight matches in double figures end at Texas on Nov. 18. She had 10 kills and a team-high three blocks at Kansas on Nov. 15 and 11 kills in NU’s sweep of No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Licht turned in a strong effort in the win over Iowa State, coming up with 12 kills on .435 hitting and two blocks. She had team bests in both kills (14) and blocks (six) at Colorado on Oct. 29 and had eight kills and five blocks, including three solo stuffs, at Oklahoma on Oct. 25. She established personal bests in kills (17) and attempts (30), hitting .500 against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20. Licht had 10 kills on .450 hitting against No. 2 Stanford and had a career-high eight blocks against No. 4 USC. As a freshman, Licht was a two-time Mizuno/Volleyball Magazine All-American and was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection.

-or- - DS - #5 Rachel Schwartz: 5-9, Sr., Lincoln, Neb. - Schwartz is one of NU’s primary defensive players, averaging 2.00 digs and 0.13 service aces per set. She has reached double figures in digs four times  this year, including a season-best 17 at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17. Schwartz had 11 digs and three assists at No. 4 Texas on Nov. 19. She also had 15 digs and a service ace in the win over Texas A&M on Nov. 5 and had 11 digs off the bench in the win over Iowa State on Nov. 1. She has nine matches with at least eight digs, as she replaces the right side hitter in the back row.  Her best performance of 2008 came at No. 18 Kansas State on Sept. 17, when she had a season-high 17 digs while handling nearly all of the Huskers’ passing duties as NU’s libero against the Wildcats. In 2007, Schwartz ranked 11th in the Big 12 in digs, averaging a career-high 3.66 digs and 0.16 service aces per set. She totaled double figures in digs 17 times, including a career-best 21 digs against Missouri.

OH - #10  Jordan Larson: 6-2, Sr., Hooper, Neb. - A two-time All-American and 2008 Big 12 Preseason co-Player of the Year, Larson averages 3.85 kills, 3.18 digs and 0.37 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in aces (second), points (4.53, third) and kills (fourth). She has a team-high 12 double-doubles, including seven of the last eight contests. Larson led NU in both kills (15) and digs (16) at Texas on Nov. 19 for her sixth straight double-double. Larson had 16 kills, 13 digs and three service aces against Missouri on Nov. 12 and 10 kills and 14 digs in a sweep of No. 15 K-State on Nov. 8. Larson totaled 17 kills, 18 digs and a career-high eight blocks in the win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. She was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Oct. 27, averaging 4.17 kills and 2.67 digs per set in sweeps of Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Larson had 13 kills on .407 hitting in a sweep of Texas A&M on Oct. 22. She was named AVCA National Player of the Week on Sept. 22, as she averaged 5.00 kills on .319 hitting, 2.62 digs and 0.50 blocks per set in wins over Texas and K-State. Larson had a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs in the win over the Longhorns on Sept. 20. Larson carried the Huskers to a win at K-State, matching her career best with 21 kills and adding 10 digs. She was named to the all-tournament teams in each of NU’s first three events and was chosen as MVP of the Players Challenge after averaging 3.83 kills, 0.60 aces and 0.67 blocks per set. Larson was a third-team AVCA All-American in 2007 after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set. The 2006 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Larson averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per set and was the only player in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in kills and digs.

OH - #19 Tara Mueller: 6-0, So., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Mueller is in her first year starting at outside hitter and averages 3.59 kills and 2.40 digs per set, ranking sixth in the league in kills and points. Mueller is second on the squad with six double-doubles - all coming in conference action. She had 10 kills on .381 hitting and eight digs at Kansas on Nov. 15. Mueller established career bests in kills for the second straight match against No. 15 Kansas State on Nov. 8, finishing with 20 kills on .613 hitting. She set personal bests with 19 kills and 16 digs in the five-set win at Texas A&M on Nov. 5. She had strong effort against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, drilling 13 kills and setting career bests in both hitting percentage (.478) and blocks (five). She was selected to the Cal Poly all-tournament team after averaging 3.67 kills, 1.67 digs and 0.78 blocks per set. Mueller opened the year with 15 kills in a sweep of No. 2 Stanford on Aug. 29.  As a freshman, Mueller averaged 1.27 kills and 0.95 digs per set. A Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, Mueller was the 2005 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and started for the U.S. Junior National Team in 2007.

Last Time Out: Huskers Fall at Texas
Jordan Larson’s 50th career double-double led three Huskers in double figures, but third-ranked Nebraska fell to No. 4 Texas, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22, Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd of 4,324 at Gregory Gymnasium.

Larson posted team highs in both kills (15) and digs (16) as the Huskers’ (25-2, 16-2 Big 12) saw their five-match win streak snapped. Tara Mueller and Amanda Gates joined Larson in double figures with 13 and 11 kills respectively, as Gates hit .450 and tied her career best in kills.    

Texas was led by outside hitter Destinee Hooker, who finished with a match-high 24 kills on .352 hitting and 17 digs. Hooker’s offensive night propelled the Longhorns to a .333 hitting percentage, the best night by a Husker opponent this season.
Larson and Mueller Provide 1-2 Punch

Nebraska’s outside hitting duo of Jordan Larson and Tara Mueller has been one of the nation’s top outside hitting duos. The pair combines for 7.44 kills per set, as Nebraska and Kansas State are the only two Big 12 schools with multiple hitters in the top 10 in kills. 

The Husker duo joins Penn State’s All-American duo of Megan Hodge and Nicole Fawcett as the only pair of hitters averaging more than 3.50 kills apiece for ranked teams. 

Either Larson or Mueller has led the Huskers in kills in 26 of 27 matches this season, as Larson has topped NU 16 times, while Mueller has enjoyed team-high honors in 12 contests. They have tied on two occasions, most recently against Texas A&M on Oct. 22. Lindsey Licht is the only other Husker to lead NU in kills, as she totaled 14 at Colorado on Oct. 29.

Three Huskers Earn Academic Honors
Three NU players were honored on Nov. 8, as Kori Cooper, Amanda Gates and Jordan Larson were chosen to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VII team. 

It is the first time that any of the three were named first-team academic all-district, and all three are eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Nebraska is the only Division I program with three first-team all-district selections in 2008.

 Cooper, a three-year starter at middle blocker, carries a 3.82 GPA in speech-language pathology. On the court, she is among the Big 12 leaders in hitting percentage and blocks and has hit better than .400 in 15 matches. 

Gates earns her second academic all-district award after being a third-team choice in 2006. She tops NU in blocks at 1.11 per set, ranking fourth in the league in that category and is eighth in hitting percentage. A communication studies major with a 3.96 GPA, Gates has been named to the Big 12 Community of Champions Good Works team in both 2007 and 2008

Larson picks up her second academic all-district award and is among the Big 12 leaders in kills, aces and points. A two-time AVCA All-American, Larson holds NU’s career record for aces (179) and is second in digs (1,323) and sixth in kills (1,487). In the classroom, A two-time academic All-Big 12 honoree, she has a 3.31 GPA in communication studies.
       
Senior Make Bid for Home Perfection
Nebraska’s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz has already forged an impressive legacy at Nebraska. The trio has helped NU win three straight Big 12 titles and reached the NCAA title match in both 2005 and 2006. 

?-The group became the first Husker senior class in program history to go an entire career without losing a regular-season non-conference match. They went 34-0, including 16 wins over ranked teams and a perfect 8-0 versus top-five foes. 

?-The 2008 seniors are now potentially only one win away from becoming the first-ever senior class to post an unblemished home record. NU’s final regular-season home match is against Texas Tech on Nov. 23.

?-Nebraska’s seniors are a combined 121-7 (.945) over the last four years, posting three 30-win seasons and helping the Huskers to a national title in 2006 and a runner-up finish in 2005.