Nebraska-USC Preview

Nebraska looks for Ninth NCAA Semifinal Appearance: Top-seeded Nebraska will look to reach the NCAA semifinals for the first time since 2001 this evening, as the Huskers take on two-time defending champion USC. The Huskers are 30-1 on the season and have won 27 straight matches after sweeping Louisville on Friday, while the Women of Troy are 22-5 on the season downing San Diego in the other regional semifinal.

Watch USC-NU on Television: Today's matchup will be carried nationally on College Sports Television. In Lincoln, it is channel 305 on the Digital Tier, while it is also available on DirecTV on Ch. 610. All four regional finals will be carried live today, starting with the Wisconsin-Stanford matchup at 3 p.m. (Central). Other regional finals and times are: Nebraska-USC (5 p.m. central); Minnesota-Ohio State (7 p.m. central) and Washington-UCLA (9 p.m. central). Fans who can't watch the matchup can listen to the contest on the Pinnacle Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, and online at Huskers.com (click on link above).

NU-USC History: Southern California leads the all-time series, 6-1, but the teams have not squared off since a 3-0 USC win on Sept. 2, 2002. The two teams have split their previous two NCAA postseason matches. USC took a 5-15, 15-11, 15-12, 15-7 victory in the 1985 regional final in Lincoln, while Nebraska toppled the Women of Troy, 15-13, 12-15, 14-16, 15-7, 15-12 in the 1997 regional semifinals in Long Beach, Calif.

NU Postseason History: Nebraska is making its 16th appearance in the NCAA Regional Final, including fourth in five years under head coach John Cook (154-10 at Nebraska, .939 winning percentage). The Huskers are 8-7 all-time in regional finals and will be looking to make their ninth trip to the national semifinals. Nebraska is 59-20 (.747) all-time in NCAA Tournament, while its eight NCAA national semifinals appearances is tied for third all-time with Hawaii and Long Beach State.

Saleaumua Two Digs Away from Owning NU Record:  Junior Jennifer Saleaumua comes into tonight’s match with 1,110 career digs, one shy of the school record held by Lindsay Wischmeier (1999-2002). While Saleaumua can become NU’s career leader in digs, Amanda McCormick passed her on NU’s single-season chart last night. McCormick, who had gone 19 straight matches with 10-or-more digs, was held to nine vs. Louisville, and has 450 on the season. McCormick’s 450 breaks digs this fall broke the school mark of 441 that Saleaumua set in 2003.

Elmer climbs Climbs Blocking Ladder: With her three blocks last night, All-American Melissa Elmer continued to move up Nebraska’s single-season and career charts. She has 190 blocks this season, tying her with three-time All-American Amber Holmquist for fourth on NU’s single-season list. With seven blocks, she can move into a three-way tie for second (also Holmquist, 2002 and Stephanie Thater, 1990).  On the career list, she moved from 10th to a tie for eighth last night and will move past Greichaly Cepero (507, 1999-2002) with her first block tonight.

More Elmer: The junior All-American has hit .500 or better in all three of Nebraska’s NCAA tournament matches, leading the Huskers in kills against both Iona and Louisville. She is hitting .517 in this postseason, and is a career .406 hitter (108-22-212) in the NCAA Tournament during her Husker career.

Huskers Make Their Case on Defense: Nebraska leads the nation in opponent hitting, holding opponents to a .098 mark in 2004.  That is on pace to break the school record of .106 set in 2001, as the Huskers have held 27 of 31 teams under .200 hitting.  Last night, Nebraska held Louisville to .148 hitting, its lowest mark of the season and the first time the Cardinals have been held under .200 all season. Nebraska has held three of the nation’s top four hitting teams to numbers way below their 2004 season totals.

NCAA Team Hitting Leaders (Dec. 5)
No. Team                      Pct.    vs. Nebraska
1    Florida A&M            .378    .168   
2    Louisville                 .318    .148 
3    Ohio State              .313  
4    Texas                     .309     .229 and .032  
5    Georgia Tech           .304  
6    Southern California   .294

Quick Sets: Nebraska is now 13-0 against ranked teams this season, including a 2-0 mark against top-10 teams...Tracy Stalls needs one more block to tie Jen McFadden’s freshman mark for blocks in a season (154 in 1993)...The Huskers are 13-0 on television this season...Nebraska has won its last 18 matches away from Lincoln