Nebraska Volleyball’s Late-Night Match Affected Crowd’s Energy at Bob Devaney Arena: ‘Wanted to Wrap Up’

As one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases in college volleyball, Nebraska volleyball fans rarely disappoint. So the stands at the Bob Devaney Sports Center were full when the Huskers took on the Dayton Flyers in the regional semifinals. However, the match happened so late at night that even the energetic fans seemed muted; the players were no exception.

If you’re wondering just how late it got, then John Cook’s question has the answer. “It’s like midnight, isn’t it?” Coach Cook asked one of the reporters during the post-match presser. “No, that’s freaking terrible,” remarked Rebekah Allick, hearing an affirmative response from the other side. Thankfully, the match MVP Harper Murray was still in the mood for some jokes.

“We look dead,” joked Murray. However, Rebekah Allick explained that since the four-set match took so long to conclude, everyone felt exhausted even before the match ended. “You can just feel a sense of, like, the shift in the room. I mean, on both sides, it’s just past everyone’s bedtime. You could tell even in the crowd like you just wanted to wrap it up,” the Nebraska volleyball star told the reporters.

“Coach’s bedtime was four hours ago,” Murry had added to her joke. However, the Huskers didn’t let the lack of energy put a dent in their performance. Although the team lost the third set to the Flyers, they didn’t let Dayton ride the momentum. “I think we’re high enough competitors that we just got to get the job done, and so it’s not really about how you feel,” added Allick.

However, low energy wasn’t the only woe for either team, as both the Flyers and Huskers were missing key players. Dayton’s Alyssa Miller couldn’t play for her team due to a leg injury. Meanwhile, NU’s Lindsey Krause couldn’t play in the regional semi-final. “She was sick or something,” said Coach Cook. Thankfully, Harper Murry was there to fill in every gap.

Nebraska volleyball’s star outside hitter narrowly missed out on creating history

The 19-year-old Nebraska star once again proved that she was made for the big leagues. In fact, the outside hitter equaled an existing Nebraska record. “Harper Murray had 22 kills, 16 digs, and hit .318.” Abby Barmore posted after the Huskers’ triumphant performance. The official Huskers Instagram handle officially acknowledged the player’s historic performance.

“@harpermurrayy’s 22 kills matches the most EVER by a Husker in an NCAA 4-set tournament match,” posted the Nebraska volleyball handle. The rest of Murray’s stats were equally impressive. Besides reaching her career-high kills, the Ann Arbor, Michigan, native also scored a season-high 16 digs, pulled out four aces, and had a hit percentage of 0.318.

You could argue that Murray’s performance against Dayton was the best in Murray’s college volleyball career so far. However, despite losing the game, Dayton’s Lexie Almodovar also gave a memorable performance. She recorded 20 kills and, on paper, was the most active player in the Flyers squad. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the Nebraska Huskers and Harper Murray.

“I feel like I have something to prove,” 19-year-old Murray said after a tumultuous off-season. After tonight’s performance, it’s safe to say it is safe to say that Murray is certainly out to prove her abilities beyond doubt. A little lack of energy won’t stop her or the Nebraska volleyball team.