Forty-one straight victories in home games, 25 consecutive wins, and the first series sweep against the Wisconsin Badgers since 2012—these remarkable milestones all became part of Nebraska volleyball’s legacy on November 23. Such impressive achievements would delight any team and its fanbase. However, Huskers fans are already anticipating even more records to fall in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Huskers’ coach, John Cook, appears to be in a more reflective and measured frame of mind.

The 68-year-old coach is an outright believer in reality. Rather, he has an ageless adage under his sleeves: “The game has no memory.” Cook has a variety of reasons, though, for keeping such a thought. He is focused on the bigger prize, and in the forthcoming match, he will meet someone who wins not only on the court but also in life. And in the meantime, he will have to look to defend a phenomenal record for the Huskers. Folks, can you guess it?

Nebraska volleyball looks forward to defending a scoreline 

On November 29, the Nebraska volleyball team will take the court in University Park, Pennsylvania, to face Katie Schumacher-Cawley’s Nittany Lions. This season, Penn State has posed one of the toughest challenges for both Nebraska and Wisconsin, enduring longer against these powerhouse teams than most others. Nebraska, meanwhile, has defeated every opponent except Penn State, making this clash a highly anticipated rematch. Adding to the excitement is a phenomenal streak that could steal the spotlight—Nebraska’s undefeated run in conference play, which they aim to extend in this pivotal showdown.

In November, the Nebraska Huskers showcased near-flawless dominance, dropping only one set all month—against Michigan on November 14, in a 3-1 victory. Since then, the Huskers have been untouchable, even when facing ranked opponents like the Wisconsin Badgers. Key players like Merritt Beason, Lexi Rodriguez, and the rest of the squad have made every opposing attack look insignificant. Impressively, this trend of resilience and control wasn’t just a November phenomenon; the Huskers maintained a similar level of excellence throughout October, further solidifying their powerhouse status this season.

On October 11, Nebraska volleyball had to feel shivers against Purdue in the home game. The Boilermakers’ relentless attacks kept the Red defense on its toes. Yet, the home team came out victorious after setting up the game for 3-2 set points. In the same month, the Yellow M took away another set from Huskers’ book. Otherwise, in the rest of the matches, John Cook’s team maintained a clean slate. On the coming Saturday, the target will remain the same—to keep the 3-0 scoreline. Ultimately, such a result may boost morale before the mega contest. 

The NCAA battle is on the cards

The Nebraska volleyball coach is not ready to pay attention to the stats. He fully supports the creation of new ones in the arena. Nonetheless, there are a few variables that favor the Huskers over the Nittany Lions. For example, consider the former’s 28-11 record against Penn State. Furthermore, the Lincoln-centered team has not lost in its last seven matches. But their final clash was out of the ordinary.

On November 3 last year, Nebraska volleyball went to Penn State’s backyard to counter the challenge. However, the initial attacks from the hosts took the Huskers off-guard. Result? They lost two sets in quick succession. But they didn’t lose their hopes. In the next three sets, they came back, all guns blazing (25-28, 25-20, 15-13), and handed the Nittany Lions the defeat. The gaps in the numbers define the level of competition between the squads. If it repeats this time, then Nebraska volleyball will have to stop the streak of losing just one set. Additionally, on December 5, the NCAA volleyball series will start. So a victory and defense of the streak can help the Huskers to keep soaring in the national championship. Isn’t it?