Huskers Look for Big 12 Crown at Baylor

No. 4 Nebraska (26-2, 17-2 Big 12) at Baylor (18-12, 9-10 Big 12)
Saturday, Nov. 29 ? Waco, Texas ? 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: None

 The Nebraska volleyball team looks to clinch at least a share of its 11th Big 12 title in 13 years on Saturday night, as the Huskers travel to Baylor. First serve at the Ferrell Center is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Husker Sports Radio Network stations with John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on the Internet at Huskers.com.  Saturday’s match will not be available on HuskersNside.

The Huskers (26-2, 17-2 Big 12) are off until Saturday following a sweep of Texas Tech Saturday night. In that match, the Huskers hit .400 as a team behind the play of senior tri-captains Jordan Larson, Amanda Gates and Rachel Schwartz. Larson totaled a match-high 15 and kills and seven digs, while Gates reached double figures in kills for the second straight match with 10 kills on .694 hitting and a team-best four blocks. Schwartz tied Larson and Kayla Banwarth with a team-high seven digs, helping the Huskers hold Texas Tech to just .039 hitting and out-blocking the Red Raiders, 7-2.

Entering the final weekend of action, the Huskers’ magic number for at least a share of the league title is one (either a Husker win or a Texas loss to Colorado on Saturday). While the top three spots of the league are secured by NU, Texas and K-State, there is a wild three-way battle for fourth place. Texas A&M and Iowa State are tied for fourth with a 10-9 league mark, while Baylor is 9-10 following a four-set loss at Kansas Wednesday night. All three teams have  aspirations for advancing into next week’s NCAA Tournament. Baylor had been playing well of late, winning four of its last five contests before falling at Kansas on Wednesday. The Bears are an impressive 12-4 at home this season.

Quick Sets
?-Amanda Gates is hitting .536 and averaging 2.36 kills per set over her last five matches.
?-Nebraska’s senior class of Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz are 70-0 at home in their careers.
?-Nebraska has now won at least 25 matches for the last 16 years and 33 of 34 years in program history.
?-With the selections of Amanda Gates, Kori Cooper and Jordan Larson as Academic All-Americans on Tuesday, Nebraska has had 16 selections under John Cook - more than any other program has ever had.

Big 12 Tiebreaker Procedures
If Nebraska and Texas finish the regular season tied, the following is the procedure used to determine the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
1. Head-to-head match record (Tied at 1-1)
2. Total sets won divided by total sets played in conference matches between tied teams (Tied at 4-4)
3. Total points won divided by total points lost in conference matches between tied teams (NU, 1.02; 184-179 total points in the two matches).

Worth Noting
?-The Huskers lead the Big 12 in three team categories, including kills (14.72/set), assists (13.49/set) and opponent hitting percentage (.143) and also rank second in hitting percentage (.273) and service aces (1.33/set).
?-Saturday’s match features the Big 12 ace leaders in 2006 (BU’s Taylor Barnes) and 2007 (Jordan Larson). Barnes and Larson rank first and second, respectively, in aces this season.
?-Nebraska is 83-6 (.933) on the road in Big 12 action over the nine seasons under Coach John Cook.
?-The Huskers have swept 19 of their 28 opponents during the 2008 season.
?-Jordan Larson collected her 50th career double-double against Texas on Nov. 19.
?-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 96-5 (.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 Baylor match averaging 3.57 kills and 3.16 digs per set in 128 career matches.
?-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 123rd career win Saturday at Baylor. The trio has helped NU to a 122-7 record (.946 winning pct.) over the last four years. Of their 129 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 178-71 (.715) 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. Stanford and Tulane have already earned automatic berths into the NCAA Tournament.
?-The Huskers were ranked third in the latest NCAA 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 Baylor
Head Coach Jim Barnes (76-80 in five years at BU) has the Bears making a run for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001. The Bears enter the final weekend with an 18-12 mark and are in sixth place in the Big 12 with a 9-10 record. The Bears had won four of their last five matches before falling in four set at Kansas on Wednesday night in Lawrence.
Baylor is among the Big 12 leaders in several categories, leading the conference in service aces (1.41/set) and ranking third in digs (15.77) and opponent hitting percentage (.191). Middle blocker Anna Breyfogle leads the Bear attack, averaging 2.67 kills and a conference-best 1.43 blocks per set. Outside hitter Katie Sanders is among the conference leaders in kills per set (3.51), while Taylor Barnes owns 10.26 assists and a league-best 0.43 aces per set.

Series History: Nebraska is a perfect 26-0 all-time against Baylor, as the teams met only once prior to the start of the Big 12. NU has dropped only four sets in the series history.

Last Meeting:  Jordan Larson totaled a match-high 16 kills, while the Nebraska volleyball team put together its best defensive effort of the season in a 25-14, 25-11, 25-20 victory over Baylor. The Huskers held Baylor to a season-low .000 hitting on 105 swings.
Larson led the offensive charge with 16 kills on .355 hitting and seven digs, while Kori Cooper and Tara Mueller added eight kills apiece. Sydney Anderson dished out 38 assists and added four kills and tied Amanda Gates for team-high honors with five blocks.
Nebraska not only out-blocked a Bears squad that led the conference in blocking 11-5, but also out-dug BU, 55-40 and allowed just one service ace to the league’s top serving squad. Kayla Banwarth keyed the NU effort with a match-high 18 digs, while Mueller and Rachel Schwartz chipped in 11 and nine digs, respectively.

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 1.75 kills and a team-best 1.12 blocks per set, ranking fifth in the league in blocks and sixth in hitting percentage (.347). She had 10 kills on .694 hitting and four blocks against Texas Tech on Nov. 22. 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 14 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 1.11 kills on .529 hitting and 0.44 blocks in limited duty. She made her first start against Texas Tech on Nov. 22, contributing three kills and three blocks against the Red Raiders. Wilberger 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 11.74 assists, 2.04 digs and 0.30 aces per set, leading the league in assists and ranking seventh 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 16 in kills, assists and hitting percentage, as the Huskers have hit .300 or better 13 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 4.13 digs and 0.83 assists per set, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in digs. She has reached double figures in digs in 23 matches and 31 of her 36 career starts and has topped NU in digs 21 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 had eight kills and three blocks in NU’s sweep of Texas Tech on Nov. 22. 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 2.01 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 3.88 kills, 3.15 digs and 0.36 service aces per game, ranking among the league leaders in aces (second), points (4.57, third) and kills (fourth). She has a team-high 12 double-doubles, including six of NU’s last seven 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 3.56 kills and 2.34 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: Seniors Lead NU Past Tech
Each of NU’s three seniors contributed heavily in the third-ranked Husker volleyball team’s 25-18, 25-13, 25-12 sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday night.

On Senior Night, Nebraska natives Amanda Gates, Jordan Larson and Rachel Schwartz helped pace NU in nearly every statistical category. Larson led NU with 15 kills, while Gates added 10 kills and a team-high four blocks. Schwartz tied Larson and Kayla Banwarth for team-high honors with seven digs. Gates hit .692 on the night, while Larson attacked at a .355 clip, helping Nebraska hit .400 on the evening.  

With the win, Nebraska improved to 26-2 overall and 17-2 in Big 12 play and can clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title with a win at Baylor on Saturday. Texas Tech hit just .039 on the night, the second-lowest total by a Nebraska opponent this season. The win helped Nebraska extend its home winning streak to 85 matches, as Nebraska’s seniors closed the regular season with a 70-0 home record during their career.