Huskers Blitz Maryland, 3-0

LINCOLN, Neb. - The No. 6 Nebraska volleyball team won its eighth straight match with a 25-11, 25-15, 25-16 sweep of Maryland on Wednesday in front of a crowd of 8,031 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. 

The Huskers (21-4, 14-1 Big Ten) served a season-high 10 aces to thwart the Terrapins (16-11, 5-10 Big Ten). Nebraska outhit Maryland .406 to .081. It was the second-best hitting performance of the season for the Huskers and their best in Big Ten action. Nebraska has now won 26 straight matches at the Devaney Center, the longest active streak in NCAA Division I. 

Lauren Stivrins led the Huskers with nine kills on a career-high .636 hitting percentage, and she had a team-best three blocks. Mikaela Foecke had eight kills and nine digs, and Annika Albrecht had eight kills. Briana Holman added seven kills, as the Husker middle blockers combined for 16 kills on .591 hitting.

Kelly Hunter paced the Huskers with 34 assists and served a career-high four aces to lead NU's effort at the service line. Kenzie Maloney served a career-best three aces and had seven digs. The Huskers had a 36-19 advantage in digs and 38-25 edge in kills.  

Samantha Drechsel had nine kills for Maryland.

Set 1: The Huskers got kills from five different players, and Hunter Atherton and Sydney Townsend each served aces, as Nebraska rolled to a 12-4 lead. The Huskers continued to assert their authority as Hunter served NU's third ace and Jazz Sweet terminated for an 18-7 lead. NU cruised to the 25-11 win with a .571 hitting percentage. Foecke, Albrecht and Stivrins each had three kills. 

Set 2: Maryland scored the first two points and then held the lead throughout the early portion of the set, going up by as many as four at 10-6. But at that point Nebraska reeled off an 8-0 run on Hayley Densberger's serve to take a 14-10 lead. The Huskers later extended the lead to 20-13 as part of a 4-0 run with Foecke serving. Nebraska won 25-15, finishing the set on a 19-5 run. 

Set 3: Nebraska wasted no time in taking control of the third set, jumping out to a 7-1 lead with Foecke and Holman combining for three kills and Hunter serving her third and fourth aces of the night. Maryland got back within 12-8, but the Huskers pulled ahead 16-10 after a kill by Holman and a Terrapin hitting error. The Huskers finished off the sweep, 25-16. 

Up Next: Nebraska hosts Rutgers on Sunday at 2 p.m. Sunday is Military Appreciation Day and the Huskers' annual Toys for Tots drive.