Volleyball

Nebraska Defeats Texas Tech, 3-1

Lubbock -- For the first time in over a month, the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team picked up a win that wasn't a sweep, defeating Texas Tech 15-10, 12-15, 15-10, 15-9 before a Tech-record 1, 731 fans at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas.

The match broke Nebraska's nine-match streak of sweeps and it's 29-game winning streak, which dated back to the fourth game of a five-game win over then-No. 3 UCLA Sept. 10. It was also the first game NU has lost in the Big 12. The match was only the third this season that the Huskers (17-0 overall and 9-0 in the Big 12 Conference) have not won 3-0.

Five Huskers recorded double-figure kill numbers, led by sophomore outside hitter Laura Pilakowski's 18. Pilakowski also noteched 10 digs.Freshman outside hitter Anna Schrad produceded her best match of the season. Schrad posted career-best totals in kills (14) and total attacks (31) despite playing in the third and fourth games only. Sophomore setter Greichaly Cepero posted her first triple double of the season, producing 45 assists, 13 digs and a season-best 12 kills on .524 hitting.

Other Huskers with double-figure kill numbers included Jenny Kropp (12), who also had seven blocks, and Amber Holmquist (15), who hit at a .500 efficiency.

Defensively, NU senior outside hitter Kim Behrends produced a career-best 17 digs. The Huskers out-blocked Tech 14-5.

The Red Raiders, who fell to 16-4 overall and 5-4 in the league, were led by Melissa McGehee's match-high 20 kills. Papillion graduate Ann Romjue posted 12 kills, as did Colleen Smith.

Nebraska found itself in an unusual position in the first game, as the Red Raiders built a 6-0 lead with Smith at the service line. The Huskers scored their first point on a kill by Cepero that started a three-point NU run. Nebraska lost possession on a kill by Romjue, and Tech scored again before Behrends returned the serve to NU with a kill. NU scored three straight to tie the game at seven, but Texas Tech middle blocker Kate Jury.

The squads traded points twice before Nebraska took its first lead of the game on a kill by Holmquist. The Huskers then out-scored the Red Raiders 4-1 to force an opportunity for game point. But Nebraska couldn't convert, and the Huskers served once more for the game before sealing the 15-10 win on a Holmquist block with Kropp behind the service line.

The Huskers found themselves behind early again in the second game, trailing Texas Tech by four before tying the game at seven with the help of kills by Holmquist, Pilakowski and Kropp. The two squads battled to a 12-12 tie before the Red Raiders took the lead on a kill by McGehee. A service error returned possession to Nebraska, but the Huskers answered with a service error of their own. Romjue smashed back-to-back kills for the 15-12 Texas Tech victory. Nebraska hit just .183 in the second, while the Red Raiders posted a slightly higher .192. The Tech victory snapped the Huskers 29-game winning streak.

Nebraska bounced back quickly in the third game to take a 5-0 lead. Tech answered with Romjue, who served four straight to bring the Red Raiders within one. The Huskers regained possession on a kill by senior right side hitter Anie Oxley, and back-to-back shots by Schrad and Pilakowski pushed Nebraska's lead to 7-4. The Huskers never allowed Tech to come closer than that, and NU took the 15-10 third-game win on a hitting error by Smith with Oxley serving. The Huskers awoke offensively in the third game. Paced by seven kills from Pilakowski, NU hit .370 in the third.

NU carried its momentum into the fourth game, and after battling to a 4-4 tie with Tech, the Huskers were never seriously threatened. NU led 12-4 before the Red Raiders scored on a kill by Angela Mooney. Schrad pounded her 14th kill of the match for the 15-9 fourth-game win.

The Huskers return to action Wednesday when they play host to No. 22 Kansas State (12-4, 6-2) at the NU Coliseum in Lincoln. First serve is 7 p.m.