Huskers Close Homestand with KU

Match: #24: No. 3 Nebraska (22-1, 15-0 Big 12) vs. Kansas (15-9, 6-9 Big 12)
NU Coliseum ? Friday, Nov. 12 ? 7 p.m.

Tickets: Sold Out (53rd consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum)
Radio: Pinnacle Sports Network (B107.3 FM in Lincoln and Omaha) and Huskers.com
Live Internet Video: Live Video Streaming on HuskersNside.com, for more info, visit Huskers.com
Television: Live state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television; tape delayed nationally in College Sports Television (Ch. 610 on DirecTV; Ch. 305 on Time Warner Cable in Lincoln) with first airing set for Monday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. (central).
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska, 73-0, dating back to Oct. 17, 1975
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-13, 30-14, 30-24) in Lawrence on Sept. 29, 2004
Coach Cook vs. Kansas: 9-0

Huskers Close Homestand with Kansas Friday Evening

The third-ranked Nebraska volleyball team looks for win No. 20 in a row Friday evening, as it takes on the Kansas Jayhawks. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be carried on selected Pinnacle Sports Network affiliates, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln. Friday’s match can also be seen live state-wide on Nebraska Educational Television and will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on College Sports Television next Monday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. Friday’s match is already sold out as a crowd of over 4,100 is expected for the 53rd consecutive sellout at the NU Coliseum. Typically, the Big 12 goes in a Wednesday-Saturday schedule, but the match was moved to Friday because of the Nebraska State High School Volleyball Finals that take place on Saturday.

The Huskers, who remained third in this week’s USA Today/CSTV Coaches poll, come into the week with a 22-1 record after recording 3-0 wins over both No. 18 Kansas State and No. 9 Colorado State last weekend. Nebraska has swept its last 11 opponents at home and has not dropped a game at the NU Coliseum since the loss to now No. 24 Florida A&M on Sept. 10. Nebraska, which has won 18 straight Big 12 matches dating back to last season, have won all 73 meetings with Kansas, including a 3-0 sweep over the then No. 24 Jayhawks in Lawrence on Sept. 29.

Kansas, which was ranked as high as 21st nationlly earlier in the year, comes into the match with a 15-9 record, but is just 6-9 in the league after a sweep of Baylor Wednesday evening in Lawrence. In the first meeting, the Huskers held KU to -.048 hitting, while Christina Houghtelling had a career best 13 kills and hit .500 to pace the Husker offense. Sarah Pavan and Melissa Elmer added 11 kills in the win, as the Huskers hit .380 as a team.

Following Friday’s match, the Huskers will be on the road for a pair of matches, taking on Missouri (Nov. 17) and Oklahoma (Nov. 20) before hosting No. 9 Texas in the final regular-season home match on Nov. 24.

Storylines
?- The Huskers remained third in Monday’s CSTV/USA Today Coaches poll, although they gained a trio of first place votes. NU joins Hawaii and Washington - the nation’s two undefeated teams - as the only teams to receive a first-place vote in Monday’s poll.

?- Nebraska has won its last 18 Big 12 matches dating back to Nov. 23, 2003.

?- Nebraska has improved its serving in recent contests, averaging 2.32 service aces per game over the last six matches, lifting its season average from 1.26 SA/gm per game to 1.52 SA/gm (eighth in the Big 12). In Big 12 matches, Nebraska’s numbers are more striking, averaging 2.44 aces per match over the last five Big 12 matches, a total that more than doubles NU’s total from the first half of league play.

Big 12 Matches: Second Time Around
Matches Service Aces Aces Allowed
Matches 1-10 1.03 1.12
Matches 11-15 2.44 0.94

? - Nebraska has now held six opponents below .000 hitting this season, including Iowa State (-.089) on Oct. 30 and Texas Tech (-.055) on Nov. 3. Iowa State’s -.089 hitting was the lowest against a Husker team in a league match since the Big 12 was formed in 1996.

?- Jennifer Saleaumua is in fifth place on NU’s career digs list with 1,046 entering Friday’s match against Kansas. The junior outside hitter is within striking distance of Val Novak (1,068, 1987-90) for fourth place on the Husker career chart.

?- Sarah Pavan has five 20-kill efforts this season, which is the most since Laura Pilakowski had five during the Huskers’ national championship run in 2000. In fact, Pavan’s total tops the entire team total of 20-kill efforts during the 2003 (three), 2002 (none) and 2001 (four) seasons.

? - Nebraska has used its depth to its advantage, as five players have led the Huskers in kills over their last 10 matches: Christina Houghtelling (Oklahoma), Sarah Pavan (five times), Tracy Stalls (Iowa State), Jennifer Saleaumua (Texas and Iowa State) and Dani Mancuso (Colorado).

Husker Probable Starters
L - #1 Amanda McCormick (5-8, So., Muncie, Ind.) - Co-captain who is in her second year as a starter at libero and leads the Big 12 with 4.62 digs per game. She has reached double figures in her last 12 matches and 21 times this season. Her 25 digs against Texas A&M on Sept. 25, tied Mandy Monson for the second-most digs by a Husker in a three-game match. McCormick, who is bidding to become the first Husker to lead the Big 12 in digs, had 19 digs in the win over Colorado State on Sunday, and also tops the Big 12 with 4.67 digs per game in league play.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Returning AVCA All-American who anchors the Huskers’ blocking corps and averages 2.78 kills and a national-high 1.83 blocks per game. Elmer tops NU in hitting percentage (.342), an average that ranks sixth in the Big 12. She has had two double-figure block matches this season, including 10 in a sweep at Iowa State on Oct. 30. She ranks 10th on NU’s career chart with 456 and 10th in career block assists (412). She has reached double figures in kills nine times, including five 13-kill efforts, most recently against Texas Tech on Nov. 3. Elmer had eight kills and seven blocks in Saturday’s win over Kansas State. She earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003, leading NU with 1.59 blocks per game along with a .352 hitting percentage. Elmer, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches, spent the spring working with the U.S. National Training Team.

MB - #11 Tracy Stalls (6-3, Fr., Arvada, Colo.) - Stalls has started 21 matches at middle blocker and ranks 13th nationally with 1.63 blocks per game. She leads all Big 12 freshman in both blocks and hitting percentage (.331, seventh) and has four double-digit kill efforts this season. She has had at least five blocks in 15 matches, including a season-high nine against No. 9 Colorado State on Nov. 7 and eight at No. 10 Texas on Oct. 20. She notched her first career double-double at Baylor on Oct. 23 with 10 kills and 10 digs. She hit a career-best .824, including a career-high 14 kills against Iowa State on Oct. 16. The effort tied for fourth on NU’s all-time list and the highest percentage in the Big 12 in 2004. She had eight kills and five blocks in Saturday’s win over KSU. Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental competing with the U.S. National Team in several tournaments, including the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Yeltsin Cup.

S - #18 Dani Busboom (5-11, So., Cortland, Neb.) - Busboom enters Friday’s match ranked second in the Big 12 with 13.22 assists per game while averaging 2.59 digs per game. She leads the team with 12 double-doubles (assists-digs), including a 50-assist, 11-dig effort vs. Kansas State last Saturday. Her 66 assists at KSU on Oct. 13 tied for 17th on NU’s all-time single-match list (seventh in four-game matches) and is one of seven 50-assist matches this season. She guides an offense that ranked second in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.282) and third in kills per game (17.12). Busboom totaled 700 assists in 2003, which is the second most by any Husker freshman, while splitting time with Michelle Lynch in the 6-2 offense.

OPP - #9 Sarah Pavan (rhymes with Have-in): 6-5, Fr., Kitchener, Ontario - The Big 12 Preseason co-Freshman of the Year, Pavan is third in the Big 12 with a team-best 4.53 kills per game. She also leads the Huskers in aces (18) and is third in blocks per game (1.18). Pavan has led NU in kills 15 times, including five 20-kill efforts - as she has been in double figures 20 times in 23 matches. Her best effort of the year came in a sweep of No. 11 Texas A&M on Sept. 25, when she had 23 kills on .500 hitting. She also had 23 kills on .356 hitting in a win at No. 16 Kansas State on Oct. 13 and a season-high 24 kills vs. Florida A&M and Baylor. She recorded her first double-double vs. FAMU when she set highs in kills (24) and digs (15). Considered by many to be the nation’s top freshman, Pavan has been a member of the Canadian National Team since July of 2003 - at age 16.

OH - #26 Jennifer Saleaumua (Sal-ee-ah-MOO-uh); 5-11, Jr., National City, Calif. - Two-time All-Big 12 outside hitter who is second on the team in digs (4.04) and kills (3.16) per game. She is also second on the team with eight double-doubles, giving her 31 in her career. She ranks fifth on NU’s all-time digs list (1,046) and recently became the first Husker to reach 1,000 digs before her senior year. Saleaumua earned Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors on Oct. 25, highlighted by a 19-kill performance at No. 10 Texas, when she hit .450 and added 11 digs. She had 15 kills on .444 hitting and 14 digs in Saturday’s win vs. KSU. Saleaumua led the Huskers in kills (3.27) and digs (3.90) per game in 2003. Her 441 digs were a school record, breaking the previous mark of 390 by Kate Crnich in 1996.

OH - #7 Dani Mancuso (Man-CUE-so): 6-2, So., Omaha, Neb. - Mancuso splits time at outside hitter, ranking third on the team with 2.96 kills per game while adding 2.28 digs and a team-high 0.35 aces per game. Mancuso shined in NU’s win at No. 16 Kansas State on Oct. 13 with a career-high 22 kills on .559 hitting. She made her first Big 12 start of the year on Oct. 27 versus Colorado, delivering a match-high 18 kills and seven digs while hitting .424. She also had her first career double-double vs. Florida A&M on Sept. 10 with 16 kills and 11 digs. She nearly recorded her second double-double of the year with eight kills on .400 hitting and nine digs in the win over Kansas State. As a freshman, she started NU’s final 10 contests in 2003, averaging 2.01 kills and 1.72 digs per game in that stretch.

-or- #3 Christina Houghtelling (Hoe-tell-ing): 6-2, So., Cambridge, Neb. - Sophomore who moved from middle blocker to outside hitter in 2004 and has made 15 starts, averaging 2.80 kills, 2.16 digs and 0.29 service aces per game. She has eight matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-high 15 kills on .433 hitting in a sweep of Oklahoma on Oct. 9. She provided a spark off the bench against No. 9 Colorado State on Sunday with 11 kills on .391 hitting. Houghtelling had her first career double-double against Baylor on Oct. 6 with 12 kills and a career-best 13 digs. She is averaging 3.67 kills over Nebraska’s last five contests.

Scouting Kansas
Head Coach Ray Bechard (119-90 in seven seasons at Kansas) brings his Jayhawks into Lincoln with a 15-9 record, but are just 6-9 and in sixth place in the Big 12 race. One year after making its first NCAA appearance, Kansas opened the season with nine straight wins, including an upset of No. 25 Wisconsin, and was ranked as high as 21st in the national poll before struggling in Big 12 play.

Kansas features one of the best combinations of middle blockers in the Big 12 in senior Ashley Michaels and junior Josi Lima. Michaels tops KU in hitting percentage (.310) and blocks (1.39) while averaging 3.06 kills per game. Lima, a first-team All-Big 12 selection, tops the Jayhawks with 3.55 kills per game and 27 service aves. KU also features Emily Brown, who shared Big 12 Freshman-of-the-Year honors with Sarah Pavan, averages 2.18 kills, 2.33 digs and 0.54 blocks per game.

NU-KU Series History
There is no question that Nebraska has dominated its series with Kansas, but as for the series record, it depends who you ask.

Nebraska records show the Huskers with a 73-0 all-time advantage, while Kansas records show that NU leads the series 72-1-1, as two matches are in dispute - one on Oct. 17, 1975 and one on Nov. 15, 1977. An extensive search of the Lincoln Journal and Lincoln Star archives in 2003 turned up nothing that could solve the debate. However, the search did reveal five matches in the AIAW national tournament Dec. 11-12 that were not previously listed in the Nebraska archives, and the Huskers’ 1975 record should be adjusted to 35-12. Regardless of the discrepancy, the Huskers have defeated KU in three games 45 times. Kansas has only taken the Huskers to five games one time, on Nov. 23, 1990.

Last Matchup vs. Kansas
Christina Houghtelling enjoyed a career night with 13 kills, leading No. 7 Nebraska to a 30-13, 30-14, 30-24 sweep over No. 24 Kansas on Sept. 29

The 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Cambridge, Neb., was one of three Huskers with at least 10 kills, establishing career highs in both kills and hitting percentage (.500) on 22 swings and adding eight digs in the sweep.

Melissa Elmer and Sarah Pavan joined Houghtelling in double figures with 11 kills apiece, as Nebraska hit .380 as a team while holding KU to -.046 hitting. Elmer hit .536 on 19 swings and chipped in five blocks, while Pavan had 11 kills and a game-high six blocks to help NU enjoy a dominant 16-4 advantage in blocks.

Colorado State Recap
Third-ranked Nebraska used another outstanding defensive effort and took advantage of exceptional serving from Michelle Lynch to sweep No. 9 Colorado State, 30-24, 30-21, 30-25 in front of a sellout crowd of 4,141 at the NU Coliseum on Nov. 7

The Huskers (22-1) held Colorado State, which was ranked seventh nationally in hitting, to a season-low .087, as Nebraska had a 16-8 advantage in blocks. Freshman Tracy Stalls accounted for a career-high nine blocks, while Melissa Elmer chipped in six more to help the Huskers to their 19th consecutive win.

While the defense carried Nebraska, the Huskers also got a big boost from junior Michelle Lynch, who nearly single-handedly served the Huskers back into game one. The Huskers trailed 18-12 before Lynch began NU’s comeback with a service ace, one of three in a 5-0 run that put the Huskers back into the game. Lynch, whose previous season high was two aces, spearheaded Nebraska’s strong serving, as the Huskers totaled five aces and committed a season-low three service aces in the victory. NU also out-dug CSU, 53-46, as Amanda McCormick totaled a match-high 19 digs, including 10 in the opener.