When Nebraska volleyball is in action, you can bet it’ll make headlines, and for a good reason! The team just pulled off a remarkable victory, marking their impressive 19th consecutive win! In the last match of the weekend on November 3, Number 2 Nebraska’s recorded 22-1, 12-0 Big Ten, while Northwestern’s 4-16, 2-10 Big Ten were dominated in straight sets with 25-18, 25-15, 25-15. To add the icing on the cake, this win was done with a live audience composed of 6,003 excited fans, thus easily breaking the previous record of fans at Welsh-Ryan Arena by over 1,100 people.

Of course, this was not any ordinary victory because achieving success in the presence of a record-breaking number of people made it even better. This brings up the mystery of how it turned out to be a record-breaking one. Only a few days before announcing that this match would be the first ever sold-out volleyball game in Northwestern history, Nebraska’s team swept the Wildcats on the spot! This success, therefore, would not have been achieved without the help of their coach. But wait, there’s a catch: head coach John Cook isn’t exactly pleased about this win.

As per a report by Hurrdat Sports, in a candid moment on the Huskers Radio Network, John Cook voiced his concerns, saying, “I kept telling them, ‘Guys, they’re in a rotation defense, and we’re tipping, we’re giving free balls.’” He emphasized that they should have been more aggressive, suggesting, “You throw it deep down the line, you’d go roll shot into the donut a little deeper, or just throw it high at their head, and you’ll get them out of system.”

Cook pointed out that while they were executing some good tips, the real issue lay in the execution of the sets. “The problem was, unless the set was perfect, we were just tipping it over, and we gave so many free balls today,” he said. His frustration was palpable when he added, “We should never give a free ball. We should always be putting the ball up there so we can take a swing, and today, I don’t know.” It’s clear he believes that for the team to truly excel, they need to be more strategic and assertive in their plays.

But Nebraska Volleyball definitely celebrated a successful game! So, how did it all go down? It was all too easy for the Huskers, who won their 19th consecutive match with perhaps their best-attacking display ever—a sensational .287 hitting efficiency with 39 kills and only 12 hitting mistakes. They were just as strong on the service line, nailing seven aces while racking up seven blocks and forcing Northwestern into 21 attacking mistakes. Setter Bergen Reilly was quite a terror on the court, going on to score four kills and serve 25 assists and nine digs as well. No player had more kills than senior captain Merritt Beason, who produced nine kills and hit.643.

The level of middle blocker Andi Jackson also became a solid candidate for the All-American, scoring eight points with a hitting percentage of .545, and two blockers. Harper Murray from the Northwestern side also contributed four kills and, on the same hand, had 20 attempts and a hitting efficiency of 0.5 while Rebekah Allick also added 4 kills. But did you know that this victory, celebrated in front of a record-breaking crowd, isn’t the only historic moment Nebraska has been part of?

Nebraska Volleyball makes another history!

You heard it right! The Huskers are on a roll! Only a few days ago, the Nebraska volleyball team rode high off their victory after ending an 11-year losing streak to the tough Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin is considered to be unbeatable on home ice and was soundly defeated in a first sweep in eight years in front of a sold-out crowd at the UW Field House, Madison, Wisconsin. As for years, the Badgers guarded their fortress; they refused even the most numerous and powerful defectors.

However, last Friday night at No. 2, the Cornhuskers defeated the Badgers in straight sets, the first time in a decade that Wisconsin suffered defeat at their home ground. The Badgers were tamed into straight sets — 25-21, 25-22, 25-19. Prior to the night, Nebraska was zero for eight, in the Field House since 2013. Though, with the strong heart and even a little of enchantment in the play, the Huskers, at last, won the match they have been longing for so long.

And as for coach John Cook? Well, he was feeling all the emotions! He praised the Badgers, saying, “They were very disciplined tonight, and that’s something we really hammer on these guys. They were able to stay with it. Again, that was the composure that we had playing in here because this is a tough place to play.” Reflecting on their strategy, Cook noted, “We stayed with our game plan. I think we only missed our game plan when we were trying to do a couple of things.”