Huskers Look to Clinch Share of Big 12 Title

Match: #25: No. 3 Nebraska (23-1, 16-0 Big 12) vs. No. 25 Missouri (17-6, 12-4 Big 12)
Hearnes Center ? Wednesday, Nov. 17 ? 7 p.m.
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
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 58-3-1, dating back to Oct. 31, 1975
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-27, 30-24, 31-29) at the NU Coliseum on Sept. 15, 2004
Coach Cook vs. Missouri: 8-1

Match: #26: No. 3 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma (11-14, 3-13 Big 12)
McCasland Field House ? Saturday, Nov. 20 ? 7 p.m.
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
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Series Record: Nebraska leads, 61-6, dating back to Nov. 8, 1975
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 3-0 (30-17, 30-22, 30-16) at the NU Coliseum on Oct. 9, 2004
Coach Cook vs. Oklahoma: 9-0

Huskers Look to Clinch Share of Big 12 Title at No. 25 Missouri
The third-ranked Nebraska volleyball team will look to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title Wednesday evening, as the Huskers travel to Columbia, Mo., to take on the No. 25 Missouri Tigers. 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. Fans who have high-speed Internet access can also watch Wednesday’s match live on the Internet at HuskersNside.com, as every regular-season match will be carried on the site.

Wednesday’s matchup between the Huskers and Tigers features two of the hottest teams in the Big 12, as Nebraska is 23-1 overall and 16-0 in the conference after sweeping Kansas on Friday evening. The Huskers are currently on a 20-match winning streak and have swept their last six opponents. Missouri is 17-6 overall and tied for third in the league with a 12-4 mark following a win over No. 9 Texas on Sunday. The Tigers have won 11 of their last 13 matches with their only losses in that stretch coming at Texas on Oct. 13 and at Texas A&M on Oct. 27. MU has lost only once in Big 12 play at home this season, a 3-0 loss to Kansas State on Sept. 29. The Tigers made their 2004 poll debut on Monday, but NU is 9-0 against ranked foes this season.

Storylines

?- With a three-game lead on Texas, Nebraska can clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title with a win on Wednesday. Nebraska will be shooting for its seventh Big 12 title and 26th conference title in 29 years of collegiate competition.

?- Nebraska will be looking for its 20th straight Big 12 win on Wednesday, as NU has won its last 19 conference matches dating back to Nov. 23, 2003.

?- Wednesday’s match between the Huskers and Tigers showcases the quality of high school volleyball in the state of Nebraska, as more than 40 percent (11 of 26) of the players are from around the state. In all, 15 Nebraska natives are on rosters throughout the Big 12.

?- Nebraska has improved its serving in recent contests, averaging 2.18 service aces per game over the last seven matches, lifting its season average from 1.26 per game (10th in the Big 12) to 1.49 SA/gm (seventh). In Big 12 matches, Nebraska’s numbers are more striking, averaging 2.26 aces per match over the last six Big 12 matches, more than doubles NU’s average from the first half of league play.

Big 12 Matches: Second Time Around
Matches Service Aces
Matches 1-10 1.03
Matches 11-16 2.26

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

? - The Huskers remained third in Monday’s CSTV/USA Today Coaches poll, and are one of five Big 12 teams ranked this week, joining No. 11 Texas, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 20 Kansas State and No. 25 Missouri.

?- Jennifer Saleaumua is in fifth place on NU’s career digs list with 1,058 entering Wednesday’s match against Missouri. 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 six players (Sarah Pavan, Christina Houghtelling, Melissa Elmer, Jennifer Saleaumua, Tracy Stalls and Dani Mancuso) have led or tied for the team lead in kills over the last 11 matches.

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 4.57 digs per game. She has reached double figures in her last 13 matches and 22 times in 24 matches 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 10 digs in the win over KU on Friday, and also tops the Big 12 with 4.65 digs per game in league play.

MB - #8 Melissa Elmer (6-2, Jr., Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Returning AVCA All-American who averages 2.78 kills and a national best 1.91 blocks per game. Elmer tops NU in hitting percentage (.348), an average that ranks sixth in the Big 12. She has three matches of at least 10 blocks this season, including a season and Big 12-high 12 blocks and nine kills in Friday’s win at Kansas. She jumped from 10th to seventh on NU’s career blocks list on Friday and is 21 away from tying All-American Megan Korver for sixth on career block assists. Elmer has reached double figures in kills nine times, including five 13-kill efforts, most recently against Texas Tech on Nov. 3. 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 22 matches at middle blocker and is third in the Big 12 with 1.69 blocks per game. She leads all Big 12 freshman in both blocks and hitting percentage (.322, ninth) and has four double-digit kill efforts this season. She has had at least five blocks in 16 matches, including a season-high nine against No. 9 Colorado State on Nov. 7 and Kansas last Friday. She is averaging 2.25 blocks/gm over her last four matches. Stalls 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. Stalls served a two-year stint in the U.S. National Developmental Program 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 Wednesday’s match ranked third in the Big 12 with 13.09 assists per game while averaging 2.54 digs per game. She leads the team with 12 double-doubles (assists-digs), including a 50-assist, 11-dig effort vs. Kansas State on Nov. 6.

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 third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.279) and kills per game (17.00). 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 fourth in the Big 12 with a team-best 4.47 kills per game. She also ranks 10th in the league in blocks per game (1.20). Pavan has led NU in kills 16 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 (3.15) 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 (1,058) 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 against Kansas State on Nov. 6 and had nine kills, 12 digs and matched her career best with seven blocks vs. Kansas last Friday. 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 2.94 kills per game while adding 2.29 digs and a team-high 0.33 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 on Nov. 6. 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 16 starts, averaging 2.71 kills, 2.08 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 Nov. 7 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.

Scouting Missouri
Missouri has rebounded from a 1-2 start in Big 12 play to move into a tie for third in the Big 12 at 12-4. The Tigers are led by fifth-year head coach Susan Kreklow, who owns a 106-43 record at MU. Kreklow’s husband, Wayne, is the associate head coach.

Missouri (17-6) ranks among the league leaders in nearly every category, leading the Big 12 in both kills (16.07) and assists (17.60) per game. Missouri, which went 19-11 and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003, is led by All-Big 12 setter Lindsey Hunter, who leads the Big 12 in assists per game (14.28) while hitting .348 and adding a kill per game. Three Tigers are averaging 3.00 kills per game, including outside hitters Shen Danru, who averages a team-high 4.02 kills and 2.90 digs per game, and Jessica Vander Kooi, who averages 3.96 kills and 3.28 digs per game.

Hunter is one of six MU players from Nebraska. The others are middle blockers Jenny Duitsman (Lincoln Lutheran), Nicole Wilson (Lincoln Christian) and Melissa Allbery (Gretna), defensive specialist Jilly Jaksich (Papillion-LaVista) and starting libero Tatum Ailes (Bellevue West).

Nebraska-Missouri Series
Nebraska owns a 58-3-1 series advantage over Missouri, including a 22-1 advantage in Columbia. The Tigers recorded their first win over Nebraska since 1982 with a five-game win at the NU Coliseum on Oct. 15, 2003, snapping the Huskers’ 44-game winning streak over Missouri. NU has swept the last two matchups.

Last Matchup
Jennifer Saleaumua and Melissa Elmer had 13 kills apiece in Nebraska’s 30-27, 30-24, 31-29 win on Sept. 15. Saleaumua and Elmer combined to hit .438 on 48 swings, as the Huskers hit .331 as a team en route to winning its fifth straight Big 12 opener.

Saleaumua had 13 kills and hit .463 while adding eight digs, while Elmer hit .455 on 22 swings. Christina Houghtelling matched a then-career high with 10 kills and hit .346. Sarah Pavan added 12 kills and a season-high seven blocks. Dani Busboom added her fourth double-double of the year with 50 assists and 13 digs and four kills in the win.

Jessica Vander Kooi led Missouri with 14 kills, while Shen Danru and Lisa Boyd added 11 each.

Kansas Recap
All-American Melissa Elmer totaled a season-high 12 blocks, leading third-ranked Nebraska to a 30-27, 30-24, 30-26 win over Kansas on Nov. 11.

The Huskers struggled offensively throughout the contest, but were bailed out by an exceptional blocking performance, totaling 23 blocks in the three-game sweep. The total not only set a Big 12 record for a three-game match, but was also NU’s highest total in any match since the 2000 national semifinals.

Elmer was dominant against KU, as her 12 blocks were the highest in the Big 12 this season, while she added nine kills on .500 hitting and a pair of service aces. She was one of three Huskers who tied or set season or career highs in blocks in the victory, NU’s 20th straight win. Tracy Stalls matched her career high with nine blocks while Jennifer Saleuamua tied her personal best with seven blocks, while adding nine kills and 12 digs to help the Huskers to their 74th straight win over the Jayhawks.