The scoreline read 24-17 in the final set of the season’s second match between Nebraska and Wisconsin. The Huskers were already ahead by 2-0, and as the stadium roared in anticipation of their imminent victory, Merritt Beason closed it off in style with a slick kill. “A senior kill to end senior night!” posted the official Nebraska volleyball handle. It was another historic night for NU.

“For the first time in a dozen years, Nebraska takes the season series against the Badgers,” explained the commentator. However, despite returning from against their arch-rivals, the Huskers narrowly missed out on breaking their attendance record. “Nebraska breaks 9K in attendance for just the second time in Devaney Center history.” Huskers Illustrated’s Lincoln Arneal.

However, despite coming close to breaking their regular season home game attendance record, Nebraska volleyball fell just short of making history at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. “The attendance tonight is 9,009. The only larger crowd was 9,198 last year against No. 1 Wisconsin,” Lincoln Arneal revealed on X. However, the home team gave the crowd everything they wanted.

“The Bob is JUMPINNNNNN it’s loud in here!” the official Huskers handle posted on X. And the second-biggest crowd at Devaney Center had every right to express their elation. That’s because their home team defeated their biggest rivals 3-0 twice in a month. The victory marked NU’s third triumph over Wisconsin this year.

However, what made it even more special because the Badgers had become a thorn in the side of the Big 10 champions for the last decade. Of the 15 clashes between the two teams since 2017, tonight’s victory only marks the fourth time Nebraska volleyball has emerged victorious against Wisconsin. However, while the Huskers’ made their 25th straight win look easy, it was nothing short of a team effort, John Cook’s genius.

How Nebraska volleyball outmatched the Badgers

John Cook appeared on the latest episode of Sports Nightly ahead of Nebraska’s high-stakes game against the Badgers. During his time on the show, the host revealed that Wisconsin has been relying heavily on their star hitter Sarah Franklin. “Wisconsin looks a little unidimensional. Sarah Franklin, more than one-third of their swings,” the host informed John Cook.

And while the Huskers had put three defensive specialists in front of Franklin, Cook knew Wisconsin would adjust to the strategy. So this time, Nebraska volleyball relied on its depth. In their 3-0 sweep of the Badgers, everyone played a significant role. Match winner Merritt Beason ended the night with 11 kills. However, Rebekah Allick, Harper Murray, and Taylor Landfair weren’t far behind.

Allick took second place with 10 kills, while Murray and Landfair scored 9 and 8 kills respectively. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s star player Sarah Franklin found it difficult to unleash her prowess against the Huskers. The 2023 AVCA Player of the Year could only score 10 kills in three sets, far below her 4.43 kills per set average.

After bagging their 41st straight win at home, John Cook and his proved that at least for now they’ve cracked the Badges code. So while the Huskers fell short of beating their attendance record, this won’t be a triumph they’ll forget anytime soon.