Huskers Host Kansas State Saturday Night

The ninth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team returns to action Saturday, Oct. 10, as the Huskers welcome the Kansas State Wildcats to the NU Coliseum. First serve for the 127th consecutive sellout in the building is slated for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Husker Sports Network stations and on Huskers.com with John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson calling all of the action. Saturday’s match will also be televised statewide on NET-1 and NET-HD with Larry Punteney and Kathi Weiskamp on the call. It is the seventh of 10 matches shown on NET during the 2009 regular season.

The Huskers (11-4, 4-2 Big 12) came off the bye weekend and swept Kansas, winning 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 on Wednesday night. In that match, true freshman Hannah Werth led the Huskers with 15 kills and nine digs, while Brooke Delano added 10 kills on a career-best .600 hitting, a match-high five blocks and five digs in the win. All-American Sydney Anderson dished out 36 assists, while helping five Huskers finish with at least six kills in NU’s first sweep since Sept. 19. Anderson helped NU enjoy its best hitting night in the Big 12 to date.

Kansas State (6-9, 0-6 Big 12) has been tested by a tough schedule throughout the 2009 campaign and Wednesday’s match is KSU’s fourth contest against a ranked foe. The Wildcats were swept Wednesday at Texas A&M, despite nine kills on .562 hitting and a pair of blocks by Kelsey Chipman and seven kills apiece from Vanessa Murray and Kathleen Ludwig.

By the Numbers
1 - Number of double-doubles by Big 12 liberos, as Kayla Banwarth’s 26 dig, 10 assist effort is believed to be the first ever by Big 12 libero since the position was created earlier this decade.

9 - Number of double-doubles by Husker All-American setter Sydney Anderson in 2009, including ones in four of NU’s last five contests. Anderson is averaging 11.00 assists in Big 12 action, up from her 10.06 assists prior to conference play.

.600 - Hitting percentage by Husker middle blocker Brooke Delano, as her hitting percentage was the best by any Husker in 2009. Delano has now hit .500 or better three times this year.

Scouting Kansas State
Kansas State comes to Lincoln looking to snap a six-match losing streak, as the Wildcats are 6-9 overall and winless in five Big 12 matches. The Wildcats, who were ranked No. 21 in the preseason, have been tested early on, as Saturday’s match will be their fourth against a ranked team in conference action. Of Kansas State’s nine losses this season, six have been to ranked teams, as the Wildcats played both Minnesota and Michigan in the AVCA Showcase, and took on Kentucky in Manhattan.

KSU, which finished third in the Big 12 with a 14-6 mark and reached the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in eight years in 2008, had to replace four starters from last year, including two-time All-American Nataly Korobkova. Middle blocker Kelsey Chipman has played well for the Wildcats, averaging 2.53 kills per set on .361 hitting while averaging 1.07 blocks per set. Chipman is one of three Wildcats averaging better than 2.50 kills per set, joining JuliAnne Chisholm, who averages a team-best 3.08 kills per set and Kathleen Ludwig, who averages 2.52 kills and 2.17 digs per set. Senior Soriana Pacheco dishes out 9.83 assists and averages 1.97 digs and 0.53 blocks per set from the setter spot.

Series History: Nebraska leads the all-time series, 78-3 dating back to 1975, and has won the last 10 meetings. The Huskers are 16-2 against the Wildcats under John Cook with both losses coming in 2003.

Last Matchup: Behind a career night from Tara Mueller, third-ranked Nebraska rolled to an impressive sweep of No. 15 Kansas State, winning by scores of 25-23, 25-22 and 25-17. Mueller established a career high for the second straight match, drilling home a match-high 20 kills on a career-best .615 hitting. She was one of three Huskers in double figures.

Jordan Larson and Lindsey Licht finished with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as the Huskers hit .352 against the Wildcats. Larson picked up her ninth double-double with 14 digs, tying Kayla Banwarth for match-high honors. Sydney Anderson dished out 42 assists and had two blocks and five digs, as NU hit .410 in the opening set and closed the sweep by hitting .387 in the finale.

Nebraska-Kansas State Series Notes
? Nebraska’s first ever match against a Big 12 school was against Kansas State on Oct. 11, 1975, the Huskers’ fourth match in program history.
? Nebraska has won its last 10 meetings with Kansas State dating back to the 2004 season.
? Among Nebraska’s 78 all-time wins in the series with Kansas State, 62 have been either two- (11) or three-game (51) sweeps.
? Kansas State became the first team to sweep Nebraska in conference play since 1997 with its two wins in 2003.
? The Huskers had won 29 straight meetings with KSU in Manhattan before losing to the Wildcats in 2003.

Series at a Glance
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 78-3
Last Meeting: NU won, 3-0 (11/8/08)
Last NU Win: (11/8/08)
Last NU Loss: (11/15/03)
Longest NU Winning Streak: 58
Current NU Winning Streak: 10

Husker Potential Starters
MB - #15 Kori Cooper: 6-2, Sr., Amarillo, Texas - Senior co-captain is easing her way back into the lineup following knee surgery last November. Cooper is averaging 1.88 kills and 0.85 blocks per set. In her last four matches, Cooper is averaging 2.19 kills per set and hitting .353 in that stretch. She had season bests in kills (13) and hitting percentage (.462) against Oklahoma on Sept. 30, marking the third straight match she has enjoyed season bests in kills. Cooper added nine kills on .316 hitting against No. 2 Texas on Sept. 26. Cooper totaled six kills on .455 hitting and four blocks against No. 16 Michigan on Aug. 28. 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 40 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. - Third-year sophomore who has started at middle blocker in 2009, and averages 2.36 kills and 1.15 blocks per set. She is fourth in the Big 12 in blocks and fifth in hitting percentage (.355). She reached double figures in kills six times, including a season-best 14 kills on .414 hitting at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. Delano has hit .400 or better seven times on the season, including a career-best .600 with 10 kills, five blocks and five digs against Kansas on Oct. 7. She had seven kills and five blocks against No. 2 Texas on Sept. 26 and totaled 10 kills on .474 hitting in NU’s Big 12 opener against Texas Tech on Sept. 16. Delano 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 kills, 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 2.46 kills and 1.05 blocks per set to rank nine in the league in blocks. Licht has been in double figures in kills in four of the last five matches, averaging 3.21 kills per set in that stretch. She had six kills and four blocks against Kansas on Oct. 7. 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. Licht was named to the Seattle Regional All-Tournament team, averaging 2.12 kills and 1.38 blocks per set.

-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 0.95 kills and 1.82 digs per set in 13 matches. Mancuso matched her career high with 13 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30, one of nine 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. Mancuso made her Husker debut in this role against Virginia and totaled five kills and six digs against BYU on Sept. 11. 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 she 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 fourth in the Big 12 with 4.52 digs per set and also chips in 1.34 assists per set. Banwarth has reached double figures in digs in NU’s last 21 contests dating back to last season following an 11-dig effort against Kansas on Oct. 7. She has five 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. Banwarth had 20 digs and a then-career-best eight assists at Texas A&M on Sept. 20 and totaled 20 digs and a pair of service aces in NU’s four-set win over BYU on Sept. 11. Banwarth 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 a career-high 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 10.44 assists, 0.73 kills and 2.73 digs per set. Anderson is fifth in the league in assists and has a team-best nine double-doubles (assists-digs), most recently a 54-assist, 16-dig effort at Oklahoma on Sept. 30, where she turned in season highs in both categories. Anderson had 36 assists and nine digs against Kansas on Oct. 7. She has seven matches with at least 40 assists this season, including a then-season-best 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 kills 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 3.19 kills and 2.57 digs per set. 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 2.86 kills and 2.76 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. Werth comes off one of her best matches of the year, drilling 15 kills on .448 hitting and adding nine digs against Kansas on Oct. 7. It was the fourth time she has topped NU in kills this season.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. The freshman led NU in kills against Texas Tech, drilling 11 kills and adding 10 digs for her second straight double-double. 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 at the Qwest Center. 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.

Recap vs. Kansas
Hannah Werth and Brooke Delano combined for 25 kills, leading the ninth-ranked Nebraska volleyball team to a 3-0 win (25-20, 25-20, 25-21) win over Kansas Wednesday evening.

Werth powered a match-high 15 kills on .448 hitting ? her best performance in Big 12 action ? and nine digs, while Delano came up with one of her best match of the season. The sophomore totaled 10 kills on a career-best .600 hitting and added five blocks and five digs, as the Huskers improved to 11-4 on the season and 4-2 in Big 12 action.

Nebraska enjoyed a well-rounded attack, as All-American Sydney Anderson dished out 36 assists, while helping five Huskers finish with at least six kills in NU’s first sweep since Sept. 19. Nebraska hit .275, its best performance in Big 12 action, and out-blocked Kansas, 8-2 on the evening. Delano, Lindsey Licht and Kori Cooper had at least three blocks apiece.

Power of Pink Match Set for Oct. 21
The Huskers volleyball team will participate in the Power of Pink in their next home match against Iowa State on Wednesday, Oct. 21. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and volleyball programs around the country are participating in a variety of activities. The match club will be selling pink T-shirts that night to raise money as well.

Husker Quick Sets
?-Brooke Delano’s .600 hitting percentage against Kansas on Wednesday 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.

?-Freshman Hannah Werth led the Huskers with 15 kills against Kansas on Wednesday, marking the fourth time she has topped the Huskers in kills this season. Werth is averaging 3.38 kills and 2.50 digs per set over the Huskers’ last four contests. The four times Werth has led NU in kills is the most times a freshman has done it since Jordan Larson topped NU in kills eight times in 2005.

?-Kori Cooper has been playing her best volleyball over the last two weeks, as she is averaging 2.42 kills per set on .379 hitting in Nebraska’s last three matches. Cooper is now eighth in hitting percentages in Big 12 matches only at .330. Her 13 kills at Oklahoma on Sept. 30, were one off her personal best.

?-The Huskers are 100-7 (.934) in their last 106 conference matches dating back to the 2003 season.

?-The Huskers are now 90-3 (.967) in conference home matches under John Cook.

?-Hannah Werth’s 17 kills against Oklahoma was the most by a Husker freshman since Jordan Larson had 19 at Minnesota on Sept. 5, 2005.

?-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 eight double-digit kill efforts from its middle blockers this season, including six from Brooke Delano. Last year, NU totaled nine double-digit kill efforts from its middles in 34 matches. Against OU, NU’s middles combined for 27 kills, its best combined total since the 2007 NCAA Regional Semifinal against Michigan State.

?-Tara Mueller has two 20-kill matches through NU’s first 15 matches, equaling her entire total of 20-kill matches during the 2008 season. Mueller has also tied her career bests with 16 digs twice this season, most recently at Oklahoma on Sept. 30.

?-Lindsey Licht has already topped Nebraska in kills in three matches this season after pacing the Huskers just once in 2008. Licht has also reached double figures in kills in four of NU’s last five matches.

?-With double-doubles in matches against No. 8 UCLA and Texas Tech, Hannah Werth became the first Husker freshman outside hitter to accomplish the feat since Jennifer Saleaumua in 2002 (vs. Texas Tech; at Texas).

?-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.

?-Nebraska’s No. 3 preseason ranking marked the fifth time in the last six seasons the Huskers have been ranked third or better.

?-Nebraska’s loss to Michigan marked the Huskers’ first regular-season non-conference loss since 2004. Prior to that setback, the Huskers had won their last 39 regular-season non-conference matches. The Huskers are now 49-3 in regular-season non-conference matches since the start of the 2004 season.

?-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). It is also the highest total by any Big 12 player in a match during the 2009 season.

?-Five players made their Husker debuts at the Runza/AVCA Showcase, including outside hitters Gina Mancuso and Hannah Werth, setter Jessica Yanz, middle blocker Allison McNeal and defensive specialist Megan Pendergast. 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 under John Cook since he took over in 2000.