No. 5 Huskers Look to Rebound vs. Oklahoma Saturday

No. 5 Nebraska (14-5, 7-3 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma (13-6, 6-4 Big 12) Saturday, Oct. 17 • NU Coliseum • 7 p.m. Radio:  Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and KTWI 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com TV:  None Live Stats: Huskers.com Video: HuskersNside (subscription required)

The Nebraska volleyball team looks to bounce back Saturday evening, as the Huskers play host to the Oklahoma Sooners. First serve for the 129th consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum is slated for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Husker Sports Network stations, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Twister 93.3 FM in Omaha, and on Huskers.com with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall on the call. The match will also be video streamed live on HuskersNside, and for more information on how to subscribe, visit Huskers.com.

The Huskers (14-5, 7-3 Big 12) begin the second half of Big 12 action in third place following a five-set loss to No. 14 Iowa State Wednesday night. Nebraska received a great performance from Kori Cooper, who totaled a career-high 16 kills on .414 hitting an added four blocks, but were held to just .160 hitting against the Cyclones. It marked the first time in the last four contests that the Huskers were held to under .300 hitting. Sydney Anderson dished out 56 assists, as four Huskers finished the night with at least 10 kills in a losing effort.

While the Huskers are coming off a tough loss, Oklahoma (13-6, 6-4 Big 12)rides the momentum of two straight wins over ranked foes. The Sooners, who are in a three-way tie with Texas A&M and Baylor in the Big 12 race, swept. No. 21 Texas A&M in College Station on Wednesday night, out hitting the Aggies, .257-.185, as Caitlin Higgins totaled 11 kills for the Sooners in the win. Saturday’s match against the Huskers will be the fifth ranked match in a row for Oklahoma.

By the Numbers
41 - Digs needed by Kayla Banwwarth to reach 1,000 for her career. With 959 career digs, she will tie Jaime Krondak for 10th place on NU’s career list with her first dig against Oklahoma on Saturday.

7- Number of times that Hannah Werth has led the Huskers in kills this season, including five of the Huskers’ last six matches. Werth is now averaging 3.03 kills per set.

16 - Kori Cooper’s career high in kills, set against Iowa State on Wednesday. Cooper is averaging 2.82 kills per set on .419 hitting in Nebraska’s last six matches.

Scouting Oklahoma
The Sooners come to Lincoln playing their best volleyball of the season, as Oklahoma is 13-6 overall and tied for fourth in the Big 12 with a 6-4 mark. The Sooners come off of a sweep of No. 21 Texas A&M in College Station on Wednesday, days after knocking off No. 19 Baylor in five sets in Norman. The Sooners are wrapping up five straight matches against ranked foes, as they dropped contests to Iowa State and Texas to begin the stretch.

Oklahoma, which made the NCAAs in two of the last three years, has been one of the league’s top defensive teams, tying with Nebraska for second in opponent hitting percentage (.149) and leading the Big 12 in digs (17.85/set). The Sooners are a veteran bunch, as they returned all six starters, and 10 of 11 letterwinners from a year ago.

Outside hitter Suzy Boulavsky leads the Sooners with 2.63 kills per set, as Oklahoma features a balanced attack. Sarah Freudenrich (2.40 kills and 1.10 blocks per set) and Francie Ekwerekwu (2.55 kills and 0.99 blocks per set) give the Sooners a potent middle blocking duo. In all, four Sooners average better than two kills per set, while sophomore setter Brianne Barker dishes out 9.59 assists and adds 3.38 digs per set. Libero Maria Fernanda has been impressive at libero, ranking second in the Big 12 with 4.84 digs per set.

Series History: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 71-6, dating back to 1975. The Huskers are 26-1 all-time against the Sooners since the Big 12 was formed, and have won the last 24 matchups dating back to 1997.

Last Matchup:  On an emotional night, the No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team found a way to win, snapping a two-match losing streak with a 3-2 win (17-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-27, 15-10) over Oklahoma on Sept. 30.  The Huskers (10-4, 3-2 Big 12) received career nights all around, led by freshman Hannah Werth’s career-best 17 kills to lead four  Nebraska players in double figures. Brooke Delano and Lindsey Licht had 14 kills apiece, while Kori Cooper added 13 kills for the Big Red. Sydney Anderson dished out 54 assists and added a career-high 16 digs, as NU out hit Oklahoma, .227-.172. Kayla Banwarth also made a major contribution, totaling a match-high 26 digs and added a career-best 10 assists for her first career double-double.

Nebraska-Oklahoma Series
•-Nebraska has won the last 24 matches against Oklahoma, dating back to 1997, the longest winning streak in the series.
•-Oklahoma has never defeated Nebraska in 29 matches that have taken place in Lincoln.
•-Nebraska and Oklahoma have both been ranked at match time on three occasions in Big 12 play (once in 1996; twice in 2007).

Husker Potential Starters
MB -  #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Sr., Amarillo, Texas - Senior co-captain is returning to All-America form following knee surgery last November. Cooper is averaging 2.28 kills and 0.80 blocks per set in 12 matches. She has played at a high level since returning to the lineup full time on Sept. 23, averaging 2.57 kills on .388 hitting over the last eight contests. Cooper comes of a career best 16 kills on .414 hitting and four blocks in the loss to Iowa State on Oct. 21. It was her third match with at least 10 kills in 2009. She had nine kills on a season-high .471 hitting at Missouri on Oct. 17, after totaling  10 kills on .381 hitting at Baylor on Oct. 14.  She had then-season bests in kills (13) and hitting percentage (.462) at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. Cooper added nine kills on .316 hitting against No. 2 Texas on Sept. 26. Cooper was named first-team All-Big 12 and honorable-mention All-American in 2008 after averaging 2.09 kills  on .396 hitting and 0.88 blocks per set. Cooper has 44 career matches where she has hit .400 or better (with a minimum of 10 swings) and hit a personal-best .396 in 2008 to rank second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally.

MB - #8 Brooke Delano: 6-2, So., Bellevue, Neb. - Sophomore who has started at middle blocker in 2009, and averages 2.38 kills and 1.15 blocks per set. She is fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.359) and fourth in blocks. Delano reached double figures in kills eight times, including a season-best 14 kills on .414 hitting at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. Delano had 12 kills and a team-high five blocks against Iowa State on Oct. 21.  She has hit .400 or better nine times on the season, including a career-best .600 with 10 kills, five blocks and five digs against Kansas on Oct. 7. Delano chipped in 10 kills and four blocks on .470 hitting in a sweep of No. 19 Baylor on Oct. 19.  She was one of two Huskers named to the Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament team, as she averaged 2.33 kills per set on .415 hitting and 1.00 blocks per set. Delano averaged 2.00 kills on .424 hitting and 1.88 blocks per set in two matches at the Tiger Classic. She had nine kills on .389 hitting and a career-high nine blocks (including four solo stuffs) against LSU on Sept. 4, and followed up with seven kills on .467 hitting and six blocks in a sweep of Tulane. She earned a spot on the AVCA Showcase All-Tournament team, as she averaged 2.62 kills on .348 hitting and 0.88 blocks per set. Delano had career bests in kills (14), blocks (five) and hitting percentage (.400) in the victory over No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 29 at the Runza/AVCA Showcase. Delano appeared in 13 matches in 2008, averaging 1.00 kill, 0.67 blocks and 0.81 digs per set before undergoing season-ending surgery last November.

RS - #4 Lindsey Licht: 6-5, Jr., Aurora, Colo. - Licht returns for her second year on the right side and is averaging 2.54 kills and 1.07 blocks per set to rank ninth in the Big 12 in blocks. Licht has been in double figures in kills eight times in 2009, including 13 kills in each of NU’s last two matches against Iowa State (Oct. 21) and Missouri (Oct. 17). She has also topped NU in blocks in seven matches, most recently with five at No. 19 Baylor along with nine kills on Oct. 14. She led Nebraska with six blocks and added seven kills against K-State on Oct. 10.  Licht had 14 kills and three blocks in the win at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. She played well at Texas A&M on Sept. 23, recording 13 kills on .423 hitting and three blocks.  Licht had a strong performance at Colorado on Sept. 19, drilling 16 kills on a season-high .481 hitting and adding two blocks. Licht totaled nine kills and had a season-high seven blocks in the loss to No. 8 UCLA on Sept. 13. She turned in a strong effort at the Tiger Classic, averaging 2.91 kills and 1.18 blocks per set in three contests. Licht put together her best match of the year against LSU with a season-best 15 kills and six blocks, highlighted by four kills and two blocks in the fifth set. Against Tulane, she came back with 11 kills on .409 hitting and five blocks in a sweep of the Green Wave.  She started on the right side in 2008, averaging 2.56 kills and 0.90 blocks per set to rank among team leaders in both categories. She reached double figures in kills in 14 matches, including a career-best 17 kills on .500 hitting against No. 3 Texas on Sept. 20, 2008.

-or- OH - #7 Gina Mancuso: 6-1, Fr., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso is seeing time at both the outside hitter position and as a back-row specialist on the right side. She is averaging 0.73 kills, 1.75 digs and 0.22 service aces per set. Mancuso had a career-high 16 digs and a service ace in the setback to Iowa State on Oct. 21. Against Kansas State on Oct. 10, she racked up a career best four service aces and added five digs against the Wildcats. Mancuso also added two aces at No. 19 Baylor on Oct. 14.  She matched her then-season high with 13 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30, one of 10 matches this year with at least five digs.  She had eight digs, a pair of kills and a service ace against Colorado on Sept. 19.  She had a career-high 10 kills and added eight digs in a sweep of UL-Lafayette and collected eight kills on .312 hitting and four blocks against Tulane on Sept. 5. She made her first start at outside hitter against No. 11 Minnesota, totaling nine kills, 13 digs and four blocks against the Golden Gophers. Mancuso was the Gatorade and Volleyball Magazine National High School Player of the Year in 2008, totaling 721 kills on .452 hitting and 373 digs at Papillion-LaVista High School. She was a three-time all-state performer who ranks second in state history with 2,371 career kills, and also totaled 1,320 digs in high school. She led the Nebraska Juniors to the 2009 Junior Olympic 18-and-under title, earning MVP honors. Her older sister, Dani, started on NU’s 2006 NCAA title team.

L - #2 Kayla Banwarth: 5-10, Jr., Dubuque, Iowa - Banwarth is in her third year as NU’s starting libero and is third in the Big 12 with 4.83 digs per set and also chips in 1.21 assists per set. Banwarth has reached double figures in digs in NU’s last 25 contests dating back to last season following a 23-dig effort against Iowa State on Oct. 21.  She has nine matches with at least 20 digs this year and recorded her first career double-double at Oklahoma on Sept. 30 with 26 digs and a career-best 10 assists.  She was the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 19, when she averaged 6.71 digs per set in a pair of wins, collecting 23 against Missouri and 22 in a sweep at No. 19 Baylor on Oct. 14. She was named the Defensive MVP of the Tiger Classic, as she collected 4.82 digs per set, while limiting NU’s three opponents to a combined .054 hitting. She had 21 digs and seven assists in the victory over LSU. Banwarth had career highs in digs (32) and assists (6) in the win over No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 29, as her 32 digs ranked third in school history. Banwarth was third in the Big 12 in digs per set (4.12) in 2008, while her 470 digs ranked third in school history.

S - #1 Sydney Anderson: 6-0, Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah - Anderson is a returning AVCA All-American who has been chosen as one of the 2009 captains. She averages 10.87 assists, 0.67 kills and 2.64 digs per set. Anderson is fourth in the league in assists and has a team-best 11 double-doubles (assists-digs), most recently a 56-assist, 10 dig effort in the loss to Iowa State on Oct. 21. She had one of her best efforts of the year at Missouri on Oct. 17, dishing out a career-high 57 assists and adding nine digs.  Anderson had 54 assists and a career-best 16 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. She has nine matches with at least 40 assists this season, including 51 digs at LSU on Sept. 4. Anderson was selected to the Ameritas Players Challenge all-tournament team, as she averaged 10.58 assists, 1.00 kill and 2.83 digs per set. Against BYU, she dished out 49 assists and added 10 digs and a career-best seven kills on .778 hitting. Anderson was selected as the Offensive MVP of the LSU Tiger Classic on Sept. 5, when she averaged 9.90 assists, 2.40 digs and 0.50 blocks per set. She had a double-double against LSU, collecting a season-high 51 assists and matching her Husker career best with 14 digs. Anderson earned a spot on the 2009 Runza/AVCA Showcase all-tournament team with 46 assists and 11 digs in Nebraska’s win over No. 11 Minnesota. She averaged 11.60 assists, 2.05 digs and 0.29 aces per set in 2008, ranking eighth nationally in assists and among the Big 12 leaders in service aces.

OH - #19 Tara Mueller: 6-0, Jr., Scottsdale, Ariz. - Mueller is a returning All-American at outside hitter and is averaging a team-high 3.03 kills and 2.54 digs per set. She had her fifth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs at Missouri on Oct. 17. Mueller tied for team-high honors with 10 kills on .368 hitting against Kansas State on Oct. 10, and added eight kills and five digs in a sweep at No. 19 Baylor on Oct. 14. She had just five kills, but matched her career best with 16 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. Mueller had a team-high 13 kills and a season-best four blocks (including two solos) against No. 2 Texas on Sept. 26. She led NU with a match-high 21 kills and added six digs at Texas A&M on Sept. 23, her fourth career match with at least 20 kills. Mueller had 11 kills on .350 hitting and added eight digs at Colorado on Sept. 19. She totaled 44 kills and eight aces in three matches at the Ameritas Players Challenge, including 17 kills in NU’s loss to No. 8 UCLA on Sept. 13. Mueller averaged 3.62 kills and 2.88 digs per set in two wins at the Tiger Classic to earn a place on the all-tournament team. She had a season-high 22 kills and 15 digs in the win over LSU on Sept. 4, and hit .412 on 17 swings against Tulane on Sept. 5. Mueller had a match-high 17 kills and tied a career high with 16 digs in the win against No. 11 Minnesota. She averaged 3.51 kills and 2.37 digs per set in 2008, ranking sixth in the Big 12 in kills per set. She totaled seven double-doubles, setting career highs of 24 kills and 16 digs against No. 5 Washington on Dec. 13, 2008. Mueller was the Most Outstanding Player of the Seattle Regional, averaging 4.00 kills and 3.25 digs per set in wins over Washington and Michigan. Mueller has two career matches with at least 20 kills, as she also totaled 20 kills against Kansas State in 2008.

OH - #44 Hannah Werth: 6-1, Fr., Springfield, Ill. - Werth enrolled at Nebraska in January and has earned one of the starting spots at outside hitter. She is averaging 3.03 kills and 2.86 digs per set, ranking second on the team in both kills and digs per set.  Werth leads all Big 12 freshmen in kills per set and is third (first among non-liberos) in digs per set. She now has eight double doubles after her 13-kill, 17-dig effort against No. 14 Iowa State on Oct. 21.  A four-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week, Werth tied her career best with 17 kills and added 15 digs at Missouri on Oct. 17. Werth had 13 kills on .389 hitting and 12 digs in a sweep  at No. 19 Baylor on Oct. 14. She was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week for a third time on Oct. 12, as she averaged 4.17 kills per set on .426 hitting. She had 10 kills on .389 hitting in a sweep of Kansas State on Oct. 10.  Werth enjoyed one of her best matches of the year, drilling 15 kills on .448 hitting to go along with nine digs against Kansas on Oct. 7. Werth had a career-high 17 kills and 10 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30 for her fifth double-double of the year.  She earned Big 12 Rookie honors for the second time this year, averaging  2.75 kills and 2.62 digs per set against Texas A&M and No. 2 Texas.  Werth had her fourth double-double of the season at Texas A&M with 11 kills and 12 digs. She recorded 14 kills  and a season-high 23 digs against No. 8 UCLA on Sept. 13. She had a then-career-high 13 kills on .455 hitting against UL-Lafayette and collected her first career double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs against LSU on Sept. 4. Werth was the MVP of the 2008 AVCA/Under Armour High School All-America match. She was a  first-team All-American by Volleyball Magazine and the AVCA after totaling 606 kills on .414 hitting, 252 assists, 220 digs and 54 aces. She finished her career with a state record 2,022 kills and was the  Gatorade Illinois High School Player of the Year in 2008.

Last Time Out: Cyclones Top Huskers
Despite a career night from All-American middle blocker Kori Cooper, No. 5 Nebraska dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Iowa State, losing 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 15-12) to No. 14 Iowa State Wednesday evening.

Cooper led four Huskers in double figures with a career-high 16 kills on .414 hitting and four blocks, but the Cyclones overcame a 2-1 deficit to take their first-ever win over Nebraska since the all-time series began in 1975.

Hannah Werth, Lindsey Licht and Brooke Delano all had at least 12 kills apiece for Nebraska, which saw its five-match win streak snapped.

Rachel Hockaday led three Iowa State players in double figures with a match-high 18 kills, while Victoria Henson and Jamie Straube chipped in 14 and 11 kills respectively. The Cyclones block was a major key, as ISU totaled 15 on the night, including eight by Straube and seven by Henson.

Two Huskers Honored by Big 12 Monday
Nebraska’s Kayla Banwarth and Hannah Werth were honored by the Big 12 Conference on Oct. 19.  Banwarth was chosen as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week, while Werth was tabbed as the league’s co-Rookie of the Week with Missouri’s Paola Ampudia.

Banwarth earned her first career accolade, as she averaged 6.71 digs, 0.86 assists and 0.29 service aces per set to help the Huskers to a 2-0 week. Banwarth totaled a match-high 22 digs in a sweep at No. 19 Baylor on Wednesday, adding five assists and helping limit Baylor to just .169 hitting. On Saturday at Missouri, she collected a match-high 25 digs at Missouri while matching a season-high with two service aces, as Nebraska became the first team to win in Columbia this year, snapping the Tigers’ eight-match home win streak.

Werth was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this year, as she averaged 4.29 kills on .328 hitting and 3.86 digs per set in a pair of road wins. She her career high with 17 kills and added 15 digs, as Nebraska became the first team to win at Missouri this season with a 3-1 win on Oct. 17. Earlier in the week, she led NU with 13 kills on .379 hitting and adding 12 digs.

Husker Quick Sets
•-Wednesday’s loss to Iowa State was the first time the Huskers had loss to the Cyclones since the series began in 1975, and marked only the second time in 75 meetings that the match went to a decisive fifth set.

•-Wednesday’s match was the third time in the last six contests that both Brooke Delano (12) and Kori Cooper (16) reached double figures in kills.  In the last six matches, the pair has combined for 4.47 kills per set.

•-Kori Cooper’s 16 kills against Iowa State on Oct. 21 equals the most kills by a Husker middle blocker in three seasons. The last time a Husker middle had more than 16 kills in a match was in the 2006 NCAA semifinals, when Tracy Stalls  had a career-high 17 kills against UCLA.

•-With her 16 kills against Iowa State, Cooper became the fifth different Husker to lead Nebraska in kills in a match this season.

•-Freshman Gina Mancuso’s 16 digs against Iowa State was not only a career high, but also matched the most digs her older sister Dani had in any match during her freshman year.  Gina Mancuso has also been a force at the service line in recent matches, recording seven aces and only two service errors in her last four contests.

•-The Huskers picked up their 250th Big 12 victory on Oct. 17 at Missouri. Nebraska’s 250 wins since the league’s inception tops all schools, as only Texas (202) is above 200 league wins.

•-Freshman Hannah Werth led the Huskers in kills in five straight matches from Sept. 30 until Oct. 17, averaging 4.00 kills on .309 hitting and 2.78 digs per set in the time. It was the longest stretch by a Husker freshman leading NU in kills since All-American Sarah Pavan began her career in 2004 leading the Huskers in kills in her first six matches.

•-Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 25 of the NCAA initial RPI released Oct. 19. The teams include Texas (No. 1),  Iowa State (No. 15), Nebraska (No. 17) and Baylor (No. 24).

•-Nebraska’s two service errors against Kansas State on Oct. 10, equalled the Huskers’ lowest total this decade. NU also had just two service errors against Texas A&M on Oct. 22, 2008.  The last time NU had fewer service errors in a match was against Baylor on Nov. 20, 1999, when the Huskers had just once service error.

•-Brooke Delano’s .600 hitting percentage against Kansas on Oct. 7, was the best by a Husker this season. The last time a Husker hit .600 or better in a match (min. 10 attacks) was Amanda Gates, when she hit .615 (8-0-13) against Michigan in the NCAA Regional Semifinals.

•-Werth’s 17 kills against both Missouri and at Oklahoma are the most by a true freshman at NU since Jordan Larson had 19 at Minnesota on Sept. 5, 2005.

•-The Huskers are 102-8 (.927) in their last 110 conference matches dating back to the 2003 season.

•-The Huskers are now 91-4 (.958) in conference home matches under John Cook.

•-Texas snapped Nebraska’s 56-match Big 12 home winning streak on Sept. 26, as the Longhorns became the first Big 12 team to win in Lincoln since Missouri accomplished the feat on Oct. 15, 2003.

•-Nebraska has already received 12 double-digit kill efforts from its middle blockers this season, including eight from Brooke Delano. Last year, NU totaled just nine double-digit kill efforts from its middles in 34 matches.

•-Tara Mueller has two 20-kill matches in 2009, equaling her entire total of 20-kill matches from last season. Mueller has also tied her career bests with 16 digs twice this season, most recently at Oklahoma on Sept. 30.

•-Hannah Werth’s 23 digs against No. 8 UCLA on Sept. 13 marked the most digs by a Husker outside hitter since Christina Houghtelling had 26 at Kansas State in 2007, and the most by a Husker freshman since 2003.

•-Brooke Delano’s four blocks at LSU on Sept. 4, were the most by a Husker since Tracy Stalls had five against Kansas State on Nov. 19, 2005. It is only the sixth time in the decade that a Husker has had as many as four solo stuffs in a match.

•-Kayla Banwarth’s 32 digs against Minnesota on Aug. 29, marked the third-best performance in school history and Nebraska’s highest total in the rally scoring era (2001-present).

•-Werth became the first freshman to start a season-opening match since Jordan Larson in 2005 and just the fifth true freshman to start a season opener since the 2000 season.

Banwarth is Digging the Libero Spot
Junior libero Kayla Banwarth is enjoying an All-Big 12 caliber season in 2009. She ranks third in the Big 12 in digs per set (4.85) and is also averaging a career-best 1.21 assists per set, as she is NU’s primary out-of-system setter. 

The junior libero has nine 20-dig efforts this season, highlighted by a career-high 32 digs against Minnesota on Aug. 29. Her effort against the Gophers was the best single-match total by a Husker since 1993, and she is one of only five players in school history to produce a 30-dig match.

Banwarth’s nine 20-dig efforts this season already matches Dani Busboom’s 2006 mark for the most 20-dig efforts in a year by a Husker libero. Banwarth has recorded 20-or-more digs in each of Nebraska’s last four matches, including 23 against Iowa State.

On Oct. 19, Banwarth earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. She averaged 6.71 digs, 0.86 assists and 0.29 service aces per set in two wins. She had 25 digs at Missouri on Oct. 17 and 22 digs in a three-game sweep of Baylor on Oct. 14

 Banwarth has reached double figures in digs in the last 25 matches dating back to last season. Against Oklahoma on Sept. 30, Banwarth became the first-ever Husker libero to record a double-double. With 959 career digs entering Saturday’s match against Oklahoma, she is just 41 shy of becoming the 10th player in school history to record 1,000 digs as a Husker.

Cooper Rounds Into Form
After undergoing season-ending knee surgery last November, senior middle blocker Kori Cooper is regaining her All-America form over the last month. Since returning to the lineup full time,  Cooper is hitting .388 and averaging 2.57 kills per set after hitting just .150  in Nebraska’s first  11 matches (Cooper played in just four of those contests).

She has reached double figures in kills three times, including a career-high 16 kills on .412 hitting against No. 14 Iowa State on Oct. 21. Cooper has hit .400 or better four times over the last six matches, including a season-high .471 with nine kills at Missouri on Oct. 17.

A co-captain and four-year starter at middle blocker, Cooper is a career .362 hitter and ranks seventh among all Husker players in hitting percentage with at least 500 kills.

Sydney Sets the Table
Nebraska has the luxury of having one of the best setters in the country in All-American Sydney Anderson. A second-team All-American in 2008, she has played well this season, averaging 10.87 assists, 2.64 digs and 0.67 kills per set. She leads the Huskers with 11 double-doubles (assists/digs) and has been selected to the all-tournament team in each of NU’s three tournaments - the only Husker to earn that distinction.

Anderson is one of only 10 Huskers to dish out more than 2,000 assists in a career and ranks fourth all-time at NU in assists per set, averaing 11.33 assists per set in her career.

In 2009, she has dished out 50 or more assists on four occasions, including a career-high tying 57 at Missouri on Oct. 14, as the Huskers hit .315 in the match. She also dished out 56 assists in a five-set loss to No. 14 Iowa State on Oct. 21, 54 assists in a five-set win at Oklahoma while adding a career-high 16 digs on Sept. 30 and added 51 assists and 14 digs in a five-set win at LSU on Sept. 4.

At the LSU Tiger Classic, she was named the offense MVP after averaging 9.90 assists, 2.40 digs and 0.50 blocks per set. She dished out a season-high 51 assists and matched her personal best with 14 digs at LSU on Sept. 14. Against BYU on Sept. 11, Anderson put together another outstanding all-around match, dishing out 49 assists, collecting 10 digs and adding a career-high seven kills on .778 hitting in a four-set win over the Cougars.

Delano Dominating the Middle
Sophomore Brooke Delano has emerged as a rising star in the Big 12 at middle blocker. Delano, who was forced to miss the last month of the 2008 season following surgery, has come back better than ever this fall after playing all three spots in the front row last year. Delano leads the Huskers in both hitting percentage (.347) and blocks (1.15), while adding 2.38 kills per set. Delano is ranked fifth in the league in hitting percentage and fourth in blocks. She is the only freshman or sophomore in the Big 12 to rank in the top 10 in both hitting percentage and blocks.

She has reached double figures in kills eight times, including a career-high 14 kills against No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 29 and at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. Delano has collected at least three blocks in 16 of the last 17 matches,  highlighted by a nine-block effort at LSU on Sept. 5, and seven other matches with at least five blocks. Against Kansas on Oct. 7, Delano had 10 kills on a career-best .600 hitting, along with a match-high five blocks and five digs.

Lichting Up Opponents
After battling injuries through the first half of her Husker career, junior Lindsey Licht is healthy and putting together a solid junior year. She is averaging 2.54 kills and 1.07 blocks per set, ranking ninth in the Big 12 in blocks per set.

Licht has reached double figures eight times, including a season-high 16 kills at Colorado on Sept. 19, and has topped the Huskers in blocks in six matches this season.

Werth and Mancuso are Double Trouble
Outside hitters Hannah Werth and Gina Mancuso were two of the keystones of a recruiting class that was ranked second nationally this fall.

Werth has developed into a starter on the left side, ranking second on the team in both kills (3.02) and digs (2.86) per set. A four-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week, Werth has eight double-doubles this year and has topped the Huskers in kills in seven matches. Like her older brother, Jayson, who is helping the Philiadelphia Phillies to the World Series, Werth has been at her best in October. This month, she is averaging 3.78 kills per set on .302 hitting and 3.17 digs per set.

She matched her career best with 17 kills and added 15 digs in a win at Missouri on Oct. 17 and had 13 kills on .389 hitting and 12 digs in a sweep of Baylor on Oct. 14

Gina Mancuso shared the left side early on and also plays in the back row for Lindsey Licht on the right side. Mancuso, who is one of NU’s top back row players, is averaging 0.73 kills, 1.75 digs and 0.22 service aces per set. She comes off a career-high 16 dig effort against No. 14 Iowa State on Wednesday night. It was one of three double-figure dig nights for Mancuso, who had 13 against Oklahoma on Sept. 30 and No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 29. She totaled 10 kills against UL-Lafayette and played her best match of the year in NU’s sweep of Tulane, totaling eight kills on .314 hitting, four blocks and five digs. Mancuso had eight digs, two kills and an ace against Colorado on Sept. 19 and recorded four aces without a service error against K-State on Oct. 10.

Both Werth and Mancuso come from athletic backgrounds. Gina’s older sister Dani started on the outside in NU’s 2006 national title season.