LINCOLN, Neb. – Playing in their fourth Sweet 16 in program history, the Kansas Jayhawks fell to the unbeaten Nebraska Cornhuskers, 3-0, in the NCAA Volleyball Regional Semifinal at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday.
Kansas finishes its season at 24-11 (13-5 Big 12) in its first year under head coach Matt Ulmer, while it was Kansas’ fourth appearance in the Sweet 16 in program history. Nebraska improves to 33-0 (20-0 Big Ten) and will take on No. 3-seed Texas A&M in the Elite 8 on Sunday, Dec. 14.
Nebraska hit .450 for the match, recording 41 kills, 10 blocks and only five errors. The Cornhuskers were led by Rebekah Allick and Andi Jackson with nine kills each, while Reilly Bergen led the way with 30 assists.
For the Jayhawks, freshman Jovana Zelenovic led the team with seven kills on 22 attacks, while senior Katie Dalton added 11 assists. Kansas hit .029 as a team.
Nebraska wasted no time getting started, jumping out to a 4-0 lead early in the first set. Kansas found its first point on a kill by freshman Selena Leban, but the Cornhuskers would extend their lead to 8-1, forcing a Kansas timeout.
Kansas stayed aggressive and found points from seniors Dalton and Rhian Swanson to make the score 10-3. After another first set timeout for the Jayhawks, Kansas rallied for three-straight points to cut into the deficit at 13-6. Nebraska would grow its lead to as many as 13 and would go on to take the opening set, 25-12.
The second set started with both teams trading the opening points, before Nebraska rallied for three-straight points to open with a 4-1 lead. Kansas would strike back with points from Zelenovic, sophomore Reese Ptacek, sophomore Grace Nelson and Swanson and Dalton to bring the score to 10-7 early in the second set. Nebraska would then score three-straight points to force a KU timeout at 13-7.
After Kansas scored back-to-back points, Nebraska rallied for six-straight points to take an 11-point lead at 20-9. Nebraska would go on to finish on a 5-0 run to finish the second set, 25-11.
Nebraska remained in control going into the third set by claiming an early 5-1 advantage to force a Kansas timeout. Out of the timeout, Nebraska expanded its lead to 8-2, before Kansas responded with two-straight points on Nebraska errors to make the score 8-4. The Cornhuskers’ attack was too much as they would pull ahead 13-6 midway through the third set.
The Cornhuskers continued their success late in the third set, hitting .621 as a unit in the third set. Nebraska would go on to pull away to clinch the match with a third set win, 25-12.