Huskers Post Sweep of Wisconsin

Madison Wis.- The No. 5 Nebraska volleyball team (14-1) improved to 7-0 in Big Ten play on Friday night with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-21) sweep of the Wisconsin Badgers at the UW Fieldhouse. With the win, the Huskers remained one of two unbeaten teams in conference play.

Hannah Werth led Nebraska on the night with 17 kills on 28 attacks for a .536 hitting percentage. Gina Mancuso had 13 kills and Morgan Broekhuis had eight of her own. Lauren Cook led NU with 38 assists, while also notching a team-high 11 digs. Werth also totaled 10 digs for her second double-double of the season.

Nebraska came out strong, posting four unanswered points for a 9-5 lead early in the first set. The Huskers forced Wisconsin to call a timeout after NU made it 14-9. Nebraska went up 17-11 on a kill by Werth, but UW cut it to 19-15 after a service ace. The Badgers kept fighting to make it 21-20 and force Nebraska to call a timeout. Wisconsin tied it up at 21, but Nebraska pulled away to secure a 25-21 first set win and lead the match 1-0.

Mancuso led NU in the first set with six kills on 15 attacks for a hitting percentage of .333. Broekhuis and Werth both had four kills, while Cook tabbed 17 assists. Nebraska hit .312 for the set, while holding the Badgers to a .200 hitting percentage.

Nebraska went ahead 8-6 in the second set on a kill by Jordan Wilberger and increased the lead to 10-6 on a block. A service error by the Badgers made it 12-9 and Nebraska capitalized to make it 14-9 on a 4-0 run and force Wisconsin to call a timeout. Errors plagued Wisconsin as the Huskers went up 19-12, eventually making it 21-13. Nebraska only allowed the Badgers two more points as the Huskers went on to win the second set 25-15 and lead the match 2-0.

Werth had five kills for Nebraska in the second set, with a 1.000 hitting percentage. Broekhuis and Wilberger both added two kills apiece to help NU to a .346 hitting percentage. Werth also tallied seven digs for NU, as the Huskers totaled seven team blocks. Nebraska's defense held the Badgers to a .000 hitting percentage for the set. Wisconsin also had no team blocks and notched 12 hitting errors.

In the third set the Badgers came out fighting as there were fourlead changes and nineties. NU and UW fought point-for-point and Wisconsin tied the match at seven apiece as Nebraska then came back to tie it at 10. NU gained some momentum and went up 16-13 as Wisconsin had to call a timeout. NU then went up 20-16, but the Badgers once again cut it as close as two points, last at 23-21. Nebraska hit a second gear late in the third set to win the set 25-21 and sweep the Badgers 3-0.

Werth led Nebraska in the third set with eight kills, while Mancuso had five. Cook tallied 12 assists as NU had 17 team digs. Nebraska hit .342 for the third set, while the Badgers hit .343.

Nebraska takes on No. 14 Minnesota tomorrow night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. Fans can listen to all of the action on the 25-station Husker Sports Network and on Huskers.com. The match can be seen live on BTN2Go and will air on BTN via tape delay on Monday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.