Huskers Take Out Chanticleers, 3-0

• Nebraska Postmatch Quotes

Lincoln, Neb. ? The Nebraska volleyball team used a solid defensive effort to sweep Coastal Carolina,  25-13, 25-18, 25-15, Friday evening in front of a sold out NU Coliseum crowd. The Huskers, who improved to 48-3 in NCAA Tournament matches in the Coliseum, have now won 23 of 24 first-round matches in school history.

The Husker defense was the story as NU (24-6) held Coastal Carolina to just 19 kills and a .048 hitting percentage. Kayla Banwarth added a match-high 24 digs, as the junior libero became just the second Husker in school history to accumulate 500 or more digs in a season, joining former Husker Dani Busboom (2006). Banwarth’s 24 digs were the best ever by a Husker in a three-set NCAA Tournament match, breaking the previous mark of 20 by Amanda McCormick against Dayton in 2003.

In all, Nebraska totaled 63 digs, tying a team three-set high and matching the program’s NCAA record in a three-set match that had stood since 1994. It also equaled the Huskers’ best in a three-set match this season.
 
On the attack, Hannah Werth racked up a double-double as she led all players with 12 kills on 30 swings, hitting .267, while also adding 11 digs. It was Werth’s 12th double-double of the season. Tara Mueller came close to a double-double, as she added nine kills to go along 14 digs. As a team, the Huskers hit .297, while Sydney Anderson added 36 assists.
 
Coastal Carolina, who was making its third appearance at the NCAA Tournament and its first since 1998, ends the season with a 20-14 record. Chelsy Kimes, the MVP of the Big South Tournament, led the Chanticleers with with eight kills and added 10 digs.
 
The Huskers started the first match with three straight points, beginning with an error by Coastal Carolina, followed by a block by Lindsey Licht and Kori Cooper and then capped with a kill from Werth. After the two teams exchanged points to give the Huskers a 5-3 lead, NU scored eight straight points, including three kills from Mueller, as Gina Mancuso rattled off seven straight points from the service line. The Chanticleers came back with three straight points of their own to get within 13-6, but it was short lived, as the Huskers responded with a 5-0 run, fueled by a kill and ace from Mueller and two kills from Brooke Delano to put the Huskers up 18-6. Cooper and Werth went on to each add two kills down the stretch, as the Huskers took set one, 25-13.
 
The second set started out much closer, as neither team led by more than two points through the first 22 rallies. Nebraska then came alive, running off seven straight points to break an 11-all deadlock, as Delano had three of her nine kills to give NU a seven-point lead. Kimes stopped the NU run with a kill, but the Huskers got right back on track with four straight points to take a 23-14 lead. Coastal Carolina pulled to within 24-18, but a block by Jordan Wilberger and Anderson wrapped up to second set, 25-18.
 
Coastal Carolina opened the finale with a 2-0 lead and continued to lead at 8-7, before the Huskers came out with a 4-0 run behind an ace from Megan Pendergrast, two errors by Coastal Carolina and a kill from Mueller to take a three-point cushion. Coastal Carolina was within 14-12 before the Huskers too control, using a 9-2 spurt to take a 23-14 lead and cruised for their eighth straight win.

The Huskers will now face the Northern Iowa (31-2) tomorrow night back at the NU Coliseum at 5 p.m. The Panthers advanced to the second round with a 3-0 sweep over Washington State in the first match on Friday night.
 
Single match tickets are still available for tomorrow’s match. Fans can order them online at Huskers.com or can stop by the NU Ticket Office in person tomorrow starting 3:30 p.m.