Lincoln ? Despite 13 kills and a season-best four blocks from Tara Mueller, sixth-ranked Nebraska fell to No. 2 Texas, 25-22, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17 in front of a sellout NU Coliseum crowd of 4,166 Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers (9-4, 2-2 Big 12) had more kills and digs than the Longhorns, but were done in by mistakes, committing 34 hitting errors and a costly 15 service errors against Texas (9-0, 4-0 Big 12).
Mueller was one of three Huskers to record at least 10 kills in the loss, as Lindsey Licht totaled 12 kills, while freshman Hannah Werth added 11 kills. Kori Cooper added a season-best nine kills on .318 hitting for Nebraska. The loss snapped the Huskers’ 82-match win streak in the NU Coliseum dating back to the 2004 campaign, while Texas, which won in Lincoln for the first time since 1988, became the first Big 12 team to escape with a win in Lincoln since Missouri accomplished the feat in 2003.
Destinee Hooker totaled a match-high 15 on .308 hitting and added a team-high 12 digs for Texas, which out-hit the Huskers. .239-.132 on the afternoon.
The Huskers had opportunities in the first set, but too many errors were costly in a 25-22 loss, as Nebraska hit just .128 with nine attack errors and five service errors. Cooper put down five kills in as many swings, while Werth, Brooke Delano and Licht had three kills apiece for the Huskers, while Hooker had four kills on .364 hitting for Texas. Nebraska trailed 7-5 before running off six of the next seven points to take an 11-8 lead after a Kori Cooper kill forced a Texas timeout. The Huskers eventually extended the margin to 12-8 after Werth’s third kill of the set and led 14-10 before the Longhorns fought back. Texas used a 5-1 spurt to even the score at 15 after a Rachel Adams solo block, but Nebraska regained the lead at 17-16 after a Delano kill. The Longhorns then ran off three straight points to take a 19-17 lead after a Hooker block before NU made one last run. Down 22-20, a Longhorn service error and a Licht kill on the best rally of the set pulled the Huskers even at 22, but a service error and two straight Husker attack errors gave the opener to the Longhorns.
Nebraska turned up the defense in the second set, posting a 25-18 victory to even the match at one set apiece. The Huskers out-hit Texas, .211-.000 and recorded four blocks, including three by Mueller, who also had four kills and an ace in the set. Nebraska got off to a great start, jumping out to a four-point lead after a 5-3 spurt capped by Mueller’s ace. Down 11-8, Texas fought back with three straight points to tie the score at 11 and forced a Husker timeout. NU then took over, as a kills from Licht and a solo block by Mueller started a run of five straight points to put NU up 16-11 after Licht and Delano combined on a block. The Husker lead would stay between four and six points, and Texas was within 22-18 before a Longhorn service error and two straight swings by Mueller sent the teams to the locker room at one apiece.
In the third set, Texas used a strong set from Hooker to take a 25-17 victory. The senior had six kills on .455 hitting, as Texas hit .481 in the set. Mueller had four kills for Nebraska, which was held to just .156 hitting in the set. With the score tied at five, three straight Longhorn points gave the visitors an 8-5 lead. Nebraska pulled to within 14-12 after a Licht kill, but Texas used a 4-0 spurt to build its largest lead at the time at 18-12. The Huskers would chip away, pulling to within 19-15 after a Mueller kill, but would get no closer, as two Huskers errors and a Hooker kill pushed the margin back to seven, at 22-15.
In the fourth set, it was an early 6-0 spurt from the Longhorns, which put the Huskers into an 8-3 hole. Trailing 9-4, Nebraska rallied back by winning six of the next seven rallies to pull to within 12-10 after a Cooper kill. Nebraska was within 13-11, but a run of seven unanswered points, punctuated by a dew attack errors, allowed the Longhorns to take a 20-11 lead after a block by She’Dare McNeal and Ashley Engle. The Huskers made one last run, pulling to within seven points, at 21-14 on a block by Licht and Delano, but could not get closer and get the match to a decisive fifth set.
The Huskers will look to bounce back next Wednesday, Sept. 30, as the Huskers travel to Oklahoma. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. and the match will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com. It will also be televised live on ESPNU.
Coach John Cook
Opening statement
“I’m proud of our kids and how hard they competed and how hard they tried, but the bottom line is 34 attack errors and fifteen service errors. This is very similar to Texas A&M last week. We had more kills then them, but you can’t double the errors on a top-five team and expect to win. That’s what’s disappointing. I just thought as the match went on we went more in that error mode and couldn’t pull ourselves out. We have to find a way to work through that.”
On not playing Nebraska volleyball right now
“It’s called youth and inexperience. I told them that that’s a muscle they have to develop. So, again it could be Monday it could be six months from now, I don’t know. But that’s part of it. That’s why we coach. That’s part of developing a team. This is why we never want to have to play freshmen because that inexperience showed tonight at times. It also affects our older players at times as well.”
On Coach Cook’s frustration
“I can’t get frustrated. I give my pep talks everyday. I know what they need from me as a coach and I have to give it to them. I can’t get frustrated or disappointed in them. These are great kids. They’re working really hard and we’re in a situation where we just have to continue to stay with because we have a chance to be pretty good. You can’t bail the ship. I have to be in the fire with them and continue to believe in them and support them and I think we will become a good team at some point, but it’s hard to predict that.”
“I think when we get that big win and we start getting that confidence and momentum. Right now we just have too many players that are too inconsistent to develop that momentum.”
Hannah Werth
On making errors
“Our team is young. We’ve established that and it’s clear. The game knows no age. Speaking as a freshman, you’re not a freshmen, you’re a Nebraska volleyball player. You’re expected to meet your goals and, like Kayla said, not meeting your goals is unacceptable. One day it is going to click. We have all of the talent in the world. Once we get out of our old ways we’re going to do great things.”
On where Nebraska goes from after this match?
“Up. That’s pretty much the only place. We have so many things to work on and I think the number one thing for this team is staying disciplined and remembering what we’ve been taught. It’s very important for us just to play as a team and play Nebraska volleyball and have fun with it. When you make an error, don’t worry about it and go after the next point.”
Kayla Banwarth
On the serving errors
“I’m not really sure what’s going on with that. We stress being a good serving team and we’re just not performing and it’s unacceptable for Nebraska volleyball.”
On being prepared for today’s game
“We were pretty pumped up. We fought hard, but again we’ve been saying this a lot but we have a lot to learn.”
“We take steps forward and we take steps back and that’s not going to get us anywhere. We have to take two steps forward and one step back. We have to keep continuing to make progress. One of these days, I promise you, it will click for us. Just watch out for us.”
Texas Coach Jerritt Elliot
Opening Statement
“We definitely had tough plays to play. I thought we struggled for most of the match just trying to find a rhythm but found ways to be successful and be patient. I was very pleased with the way we were able to change our mentality after the break and came and kept fighting and playing to earn this victory. It wasn’t easy. Nebraska does it the best way in regards to fans and support. It’s obviously been a long time since we’ve been able to win here. It feels good for our players. I’m happy for our seniors who have had that experience because this is their first time. Overall, this was a big win and obviously very important for our Big 12 race and it’s a good win in a tough place to play.”
Ashley Engle
On winning at Nebraska
“It’s definitely one of our goals as a team to beat Nebraska at Nebraska because we’ve never done it, well since 1988. I was born that year, so it’s been a really long time and it’s because they have a great program. They have amazing fans, they just always have a team that battles and battles. Normally, we don’t just get beat here, we get killed here, so it is one of our goals for the beginning of the year. Our Big 12 conference is really tough and so any win is going to be helpful for the ultimate goal of winning the Big 12 championship.”
Desinee Hooker
On winning against Nebraska
“We’ve been working really hard this season and every time we come to Nebraska it’s going to be a battle. They’re not going to lie down. They’re a great team and with their crowd supporting them it’s really difficult to play here. I’m just glad we came out with a win.”