Huskers Take on Cyclones in Top-10 Showdown

No. 10 Nebraska (17-6, 10-4 Big 12) at No. 8 Iowa State (19-3, 11-2 Big 12) Saturday, Nov. 7 • Ames, Iowa • 8 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 travels to Ames, Iowa, Saturday night as the No. 10 Huskers take on eighth-ranked Iowa State. First serve from what is expected to be a record crowd at Hilton Coliseum is slated for 8 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 Lindsay Peterson on the call. Saturday night's match will now be available on HuskersNside (subscription required). The match start time was moved to accommodate the ISU-Oklahoma State football game earlier that afternoon.

The Huskers (17-6, 10-4 Big 12) come off their best offensive performance of the year, hitting .451 in a sweep of Missouri Wednesday night. Sydney Anderson dished out 43 assists, helping all five primary hitters hit over .400 on the night. Hannah Werth’s 12 kills led three Huskers in double figures while NU tied its season best with eight service aces, including three from freshman Gina Mancuso.

Iowa State (20-3, 12-2 Big 12) brings an 11-match win streak into Saturday’s matchup with the Huskers and is coming off its biggest win in school history. The Cyclones, who are 9-0 at home, toppled No. 2 Texas in five sets, handing the Longhorns their first loss of the season on Wednesday. The Cyclones are two matches up on the Huskers in the Big 12 race and won the first meeting in Lincoln in October, their first-ever win over Nebraska.

Scouting Iowa State
Under former Husker All-American Christy Johnson, Iowa State heads into Saturday’s match with a 20-3 record and No. 8 ranking in Monday’s AVCA poll - the highest ranking in school history. The Cyclones, who have won 11 straight matches since back-to-back losses to Texas and Baylor early in Big 12 action, are in sole possession of second place in the conference. Like Nebraska, all three of the Cyclones’ losses have been to teams ranked in the polls this season, including a four-set loss at Minnesota. Johnson has guided the Cyclones to back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16 appearances over the last two seasons.

The Cyclones basically returned their entire roster that reached the Elite Eight  in 2008, including All-Big 12 performers Kaylee Manns, Victoria Henson and Ashley Mass. Henson, who earned All-America honors last season at outside hitter, is third in the Big 12, averaging 4.08 kills per set. Manns leads the Big 12 with 11.97 assists per set while helping the Cyclones rank fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.237). Mass, the reigning Big 12 Libero of the Year, leads the Big 12 with 5.36 digs per set, while helping ISU lead the Big 12 in opponent  hitting percentage (.142).

The Huskers have dominated the all-time series, going 74-1 all-time against Iowa State since 1975, but the Cyclones earned their first-ever win over Nebraska in Lincoln on Oct. 21.

Last Matchup:  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 on Oct. 21. 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.

Nebraska-Iowa State Series Notes
•-The Cyclones feature four players from Nebraska, including starters Jamie Straube (2.02 kills and 1.15 blocks per set), Kelsey Peterson (2.09 kills and 0.71 blocks per set) and Caitlin Mahoney (2.22 digs per set).
•-Iowa State Head Coach Christy Johnson was the starting setter on Nebraska’s 1995 national championship team. Johnson also served as an assistant to John Cook at Wisconsin in 1997 and 1998.
•-Nebraska held Iowa State to two points in a 3-0 win on Nov. 13, 1999.
•-Iowa State has won just 20 of 236 sets in the history of the series.
•-Nebraska’s match in Ames on Nov. 11, 2007, drew a school-record crowd of 6,705 - the largest volleyball crowd in the history of the state of Iowa. The mark will likely be toppled Saturday night.

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 2.30 kills and 0.84 blocks per set in 15 matches, ranking fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.337). She has played at a high level since returning to the lineup full time on Sept. 23, averaging 2.53 kills on .372 hitting over the last 11 contests. Cooper has reached double figures in kills four times in 2009, including a career best 16 kills on .414 hitting against No. 13 Iowa State on Oct. 21. Cooper had 12 kills on .409 hitting and tied her season high with five blocks in a win over Oklahoma on Oct. 24.  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-America in 2008 after averaging 2.09 kills  on .396 hitting and 0.88 blocks per set. Cooper has 46 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 2.26 kills and 1.19 blocks per set. She is third in the Big 12 in blocks and fourth in hitting percentage (.340). Delano reached double figures in kills nine times, including a season-best 14 kills on .414 hitting at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. She totaled 10 kills on a career-best .833 hitting - the sixth best hitting percentage in school history - against Missouri on Nov. 4. Delano had 12 kills and a team-high five blocks against Iowa State on Oct. 21.   She has hit .400 or better 10 times on the season, including hitting .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 2.64 kills and 1.09 blocks per set to rank seventh in the Big 12 in blocks. Licht has been in double figures in kills 10 times in 2009, including a season-high 16 kills and six blocks against Oklahoma on Oct. 24. She has been in double figures in four of NU’s last six contests, including 13 against Iowa State (Oct. 21) and Missouri (Oct. 17). Licht led NU with 10 kills at No. 2 Texas on Oct. 30.  She has also topped NU in blocks eight times, most recently with four blocks against Missouri on Nov. 4. 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 with 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 as a back-row specialist on the right side, averaging 0.61 kills, 1.72 digs and 0.26 service aces per set, ranking seventh in the Big 12 in assists. She now has 12 matches this season with at least five digs and five matches with at least two service aces. Mancuso totaled three aces and seven digs in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 4. She played well at No. 2 Texas on Oct. 30, recording seven digs and adding a pair of service aces.  Mancuso had a career-high 16 digs and a service ace against No. 13 Iowa State on Oct. 21. Against Kansas State on Oct. 10, she racked up a career best four service aces and added five digs. She also had 13 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30,  Mancuso had a career-high 10 kills and added eight digs in a sweep of UL-Lafayette. She collected eight kills on .312 hitting and four blocks against Tulane on Sept. 5. She made her first career start 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 second in the Big 12 with 4.76 digs per set and chips in 1.16 assists per set. Banwarth has reached double figures in digs in NU’s last 28 contests dating back to last season following an 11-dig performance at Texas on Oct. 30. She has 10 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 11.04 assists, 0.75 kills and 2.57 digs per set. Anderson is third in the league in assists and has a team-best 13 double-doubles (assists-digs), most recently a 39-assist, 10-dig effort at Texas Tech on Oct. 28. Anderson has five matches with at least 50 assists this season, including a career-high 57 assists at Missouri on Oct. 17.  Anderson had 54 assists and a career-best 16 digs at Oklahoma on Sept. 30. She owns 11 matches with at least 40 assists this season and has helped NU hit over .300 on seven occasions, including a season-high .451 against Missouri on Nov. 4, as she totaled 43 assists and two aces. 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 51 assists and adding 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  3.01 kills, 2.56 digs and 0.31 service aces per set. Mueller is fourth in the Big 12 in service aces.  She had 10 kills on .400 hitting and an ace in a sweep of Missouri on Nov. 4. Mueller collected her sixth double-double of the year at Texas Tech on Oct. 28, finishing with 11 kills on .360 hitting and 10 digs.  Mueller had nine kills, 12 digs and a career-high four service aces in a win over Oklahoma on Oct. 25. 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. 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.

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 a team-high 3.19 kills and 2.84 digs per set, ranking second on the team in digs.  Werth leads all Big 12 freshmen in kills per set and is third (first among non-liberos) among freshmen in digs per set. She now has 10 double doubles after her 15 kill, 12 dig effort at Texas Tech on Oct. 28. Werth totaled a team-high 12 kills on .429 hitting and seven digs against Missouri on Nov. 4. She had a career-high 19 kills against Oklahoma on Oct. 24, equaling the most kills by a Husker freshman in the last five seasons.  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.   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.  She recorded 14 kills  and a season-high 23 digs against No. 8 UCLA on Sept. 13. 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: Huskers Top Tigers
The No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team put together its best offensive performance of the season, sweeping Missouri, 3-0 (25-19, 26-16, 25-16) at the NU Coliseum on Nov. 4.  Nebraska hit a season-best .451 on the night, as three Huskers finished in double figures in kills while all five primary attackers hit over .400. Sydney Anderson dished out 43 assists and added two of the Huskers eight aces as the Huskers .451 hitting percentage was the best since hitting .467 against UAB in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Hannah Werth’s 12 kills led Nebraska while Tara Mueller and Brooke Delano added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Delano had 10 kills on 12 swings, as her .833 hitting percentage was the sixth-best performance in school history and the sophomore added four blocks. 
Nebraska also matched its season best with eight service aces, including three by Gina Mancuso and two apiece from Werth and Anderson, and tied its season low with two errors.

NCAA Regional Passes Now on Sale
All-session passes for the 2009 NCAA Omaha Regional at the Qwest Center are now on sale. All-session tickets are priced from $26-$34 for the two days of action on Dec. 11-12. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 277-1700.
 Omaha is one of four pre-determined regional sites, joining Gainesville, Fla. (Florida), Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota), and Stanford, Calif. (Stanford).  The Omaha Regional semifinals will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, with the finals taking place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12.

Cooper Earns Academic Honor
Nebraska middle blocker Kori Cooper was recognized for her athletic and academic success on Nov. 5, as she garnered ESPN the Magazine first-team Academic All-District VII honors. A speech language pathology major who carries a 3.81 GPA, Cooper was selected to the Academic All-District VII team for the second straight year.

This season, Cooper has bounced back from season-ending knee surgery toa verage 2.30 kills and 0.84 blocks per set, ranking fifth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage. She has had four matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-high 16 kills on .414 hitting against Iowa State on Oct. 21.

Husker Quick Sets
•-The Huskers have been ranked in the top 10 of the AVCA poll every week since the start of the 2004 season, a span of 92 weeks.
•-Nebraska’s .451 hitting percentage against Missouri on Nov. 4 was the Huskers’ best effort in a Big 12 match since the 2007 campaign. The Huskers hit .472 against Texas Tech in the final regular-season match of the year.
•-One of the overlooked aspects of NU in recent weeks has been improved serving. Over the last nine matches, the Huskers are averaging 1.55 aces per set after averaging just 0.95 aces per set in NU’s first 14 matches. In league action, Nebraska leads the Big 12, averaging 1.34 aces per set.
•-Nebraska had eight aces and two errors against Missouri, matching its season best in both areas. It marks the 10th time in John Cook’s 10 years that Nebraska had at least a +6 on service aces to service errors. Nebraska’s two errors also tied the lowest amount of service errors in a match under Cook, set two other times (vs. KSU, 10/10/09; vs. Texas A&M, 10/22/08).
•-Middle blocker Brooke Delano put together the best offensive night of her career against Missouri with 10 kills on .833 hitting. It is the ninth time Delano has been in double figures in kills - most by a Husker since Tracy Stalls accomplished the feat 12 times in 2007 - while her hitting percentage ties for sixth all-time at Nebraska.
•-Freshman Gina Mancuso has also been a force at the service line in recent matches, recording 13 aces (0.46 aces/set) and only four service errors in her last eight contests. Mancuso now leads all Big 12 freshman with 0.26 aces per set.
•-Kayla Banwarth has played at an All-America level in recent weeks, averaging 5.11 digs, 0.94 assists and 0.22 service aces per set over the last 10 matches. Banwarth has six matches with 20 or more digs in that stretch.
•-The Huskers are 105-9 (.921) in their last 114 conference matches dating back to the 2003 season.
•-Nebraska is 88-8 (.917) on the road in Big 12 action in 10 seasons under Coach John Cook.
•-Three Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 20 of the NCAA RPI released Nov. 2. The teams include Texas (No. 1),  Iowa State (No. 12) and Nebraska (No. 16).
•- Under Head Coach John Cook, the Huskers are now 16-2 in matches after a loss in the same season (Cook’s other seven losses have come in the NCAA Tournament).
•-Nebraska’s lone senior Kori Cooper has helped the Huskers to a 111-12 mark over the last four years, including three Big 12 titles, two NCAA Final Fours (2006, 2008) and a national title in 2008.
•-With her 10 kills against Texas, Lindsey Licht topped the Huskers in kills for the fourth time this year. Prior to 2009, she had led NU in kills once.
•-Hannah Werth’s 19 kills against Oklahoma on Oct. 24 equals the most kills by a Husker freshman in the last five seasons. The last Husker rookie to have more than 19 kills in a match was Sarah Pavan, when she had 35 against USC in the 2004 NCAA Regional final.
•-The Oct. 24 loss to Iowa State was the first time the Huskers had lost 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.
•-Kori Cooper’s 16 kills against Iowa State on Oct. 21 equaled 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.
•-The Huskers picked up their 250th Big 12 victory on Oct. 17 at Missouri. Nebraska’s 253 wins since the league’s inception tops all schools, as only Texas (205) is above 200 league wins.
•-Freshman Hannah Werth led the Huskers in kills in five straight matches from Sept. 30 to Oct. 17. It was the longest stretch by a Husker freshman leading NU in kills since All-American Sarah Pavan began her career in 2004 by leading the Huskers in kills in her first six matches.
•-Nebraska has already received 13 double-digit kill efforts from its middle blockers this season, including nine from Brooke Delano, and are averaging nearly a kill per set more from its middle attack. 
•-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 any Husker freshman since 2003.
•-Brooke Delano’s four solo 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.
•-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.