SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Austin, Tex. — No. 10th-seeded Nebraska is back, gaining its 21st
semifinals appearance in the national women’s college volleyball tournament by stunning 2nd-seeded Texas at the Longhorns’ court before a record crowd in Austin of 5,100.
The Corn huskers, one of the most successful programs, was 25-7 overall and second in the the Big 10 at 17-4, was no doubt the underdog against the 18-1 overall Texas team that was the Big 12 champion and the runner-up in the last title match versus Kentucky.
But Nebraska came to play, taking the first two sets, falling in set three, and then broke away from a 17-17 tie in the fourth set with a 5-1 run and when the Longhorns rallied to pull with 23-20, the Corn Huskers won the next two behind a pair of excellent blocking and back-to-back kills from two freshmen.
Not highly seeded this time, Nebraska put together an excellent performance with super teamwork, marvelous passing, and a great lift from its bench and the limited amount of its fans as the home court Longhorns filled the place like never before, making for what was announced as 300 over its capacity.
But to Nebraska, it didn’t matter. it brushed aside the home court advantage and gained the semifinals against 3rd-seeded Pittsburgh, which eliminated Georgia Tech in three sets, while top-seeded, undefeated Louisville (19-0) advanced and 8th-seeded Wisconsin ousted 12-seeded Minnesota.
It was remarkable the way the Corn Huskers hung on and answered late challenges from Texas, but it was their late spurt in set four that brought the celebration, and it was well deserving versus a former Big 12 opponent that they were playing for the 31st time.
