Elmer's Career Night Leads NU to Victory

Lawrence, Kan.. - Melissa Elmer produced career highs in kills and blocks Wednesday night to lead No. 7 Nebraska to a 31-29, 25-30, 30-28, 30-24 win over Kansas before 1,243 fans at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

The sophomore middle blocker tallied 15 blocks, which bested her previous career-high by five and ranks third all-time on the NU single-match performance charts. Elmer also drilled 16 kills on a .524 hitting percentage in the victory.

The Huskers also received a standout performance from sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Saleaumua, who pounded a career-best 19 kills while swinging at a .340 clip. Saleaumua also added 11 digs and tied her career-high with seven blocks. Senior middle blocker Sara Westling also had a career-high six blocks, as Nebraska totaled a season-high 22 team blocks overall.

With the win, the Huskers improved to 15-1 overall and 7-0 in the league while extending their streak of victories against Big 12 teams to 78 straight.

"Melissa Elmer put on a clinic tonight, and I thought Sara Westling did a good job blocking," Cook said. "Those two saved us tonight many, many times. Kansas has a nice team. Any team that comes in here is going to have a hard time against Kansas."

The Huskers held a two games to one lead entering the fourth game. With the scored tied at 15, Westling, a senior middle blocker, reeled off six straight points in a run that was highlighted by two thunderous kills by Elmer.

KU closed it to 27-23 after an NU hitting error, but Westling and Kelsey Fautsch blocked Janaina Correa, and Fautsch produced a solo stop against Morris to extend the lead to 29-23. Correa answered with a kill, but Nebraska took the fourth game, 30-24, and the match on a Kansas serving error.

"After the second game, we just needed to be more aggressive," Saleaumua said. "I think we were casual at times in game two, like we were going through the motions. I figured if I came out and was aggressive, everyone would follow and it worked out."

Nebraska trailed in game one until Ally Rebholz produced back-to-back kills to give the Huskers an 11-10 advantage. NU led by as many as three points and held a 27-25 advantage after a kill by Elmer. Kansas tied the score with a kill from Ashley Michaels and a hitting error by Rebholz. After Cook called a timeout, the Huskers scored on a kill by Elmer then took a 29-27 lead when Rebholz and Elmer blocked Correa. The Jayhawks tied it again with the help of two NU hitting errors, but Elmer answered with a kill before Westling produced the final kill in the 31-29 win.

NU out-blocked KU, 6-0, in game one, and Elmer had a hand in all six blocks. Elmer also led the Huskers with four kills in the first game.

The KU hitters caught fire in game two, and the Huskers were mistake prone. The Jayhawks led 21-15 after Sarah Rome blocked Fautsch, and NU committed another hitting error. Nebraska closed it to 23-21 after Saleaumua slammed a kill, but Michaels answered with a 4-0 run. A setter dump by Andi Rozum gave KU a 27-21 lead and Lindsey Morris pounded a kill to make it 29-23. The Huskers delayed the Kansas win with a kill by Schrad and a block of Lima by Saleaumua and Westling, but Rome angled a kill off the NU block for the 30-25, game-two win.

Kansas' win in game two was the Jayhawks first against NU since Oct. 24, 1998, snapping a 26-game Husker winning streak against KU.

Nebraska led most of the way in game three and held a 25-22 advantage after a KU hitting error. The Jayhawks pulled within one after kills by Rome and Michaels, but Fautsch and Saleaumua answered with kills to make it 27-24, Nebraska. Kansas kept fighting and tied the score at 27 with the help of an NU blocking error and kills by Rome and Michaels. The score was tied once more at 28, but Elmer drilled a kill on the slide, and Schrad hit crosscourt for a kill, clinching the 30-28 game three win.

Rome led KU with 12 kills, but hit just .143, as the Jayhawks fell to 11-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12.

The Huskers return to action this Saturday, Oct. 11, when they play host to No. 12 Kansas State. First serve at the NU Coliseum is 5 p.m.