Match Previews as Huskers face Oregon in Top 15 test, Washington on the road

Nebraska volleyball remains No. 2 in the Top 25 national rankings, which is where the Huskers have been holding steady as the second-ranked team in the country for most of the season.

Nebraska was ranked No. 2 in the AVCA Top 25 preseason poll, dropped down to No. 5 for two weeks at the beginning of the season, but climbed back up the poll with the Huskers (22-1 overall, 12-0 Big Ten) now having been ranked No. 2 for six weeks in a row dating back to Sept. 23.

Nebraska garnered 11 first-place votes in Monday’s most recent Top 25 poll following back-to-back sweeps on the road at then-No. 7 Wisconsin and Northwestern last week.

Following the huge showdown with Wisconsin, the Huskers get right back to the grindstone with their third and fourth road games in a row this week. First, they square off with No. 12 Oregon (17-4, 9-3), and then they travel to Washington (17-5, 7-5) for a matchup with a squad that garnered several votes in the latest national poll, sitting two spots outside the Top 25.

Below are the stats to know, players to watch and more information on the Huskers’ upcoming road matches against the Ducks and Huskies.

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#2 NEBRASKA (22-1 overall, 12-0 Big Ten) at #12 OREGON (17-4, 9-3)

Time: 9:00 p.m. CT on Thursday

TV Channel: Big Ten Network

Commentators: A.J. Kanell (play by play) and Nicole Branagh (color)

Streaming: Fox Sports App

Radio: Huskers Radio Network with John Baylor and Lauren (Cook) West will broadcast all the action on their volleyball affiliate stations

Listen online: Huskers.com (LINK)

App Audio: Official Huskers App

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#2 NEBRASKA (22-1 overall, 12-0 Big Ten) at WASHINGTON (17-5, 7-5)

Time: 9:30 p.m. CT on Sunday

TV Channel: Big Ten Network

Commentators: A.J. Kanell (play by play) and Courtney Thompson (color)

Streaming: Fox Sports App

Radio: Huskers Radio Network with John Baylor and Lauren (Cook) West will broadcast all the action on their volleyball affiliate stations

Listen online: Huskers.com (LINK)

App Audio: Official Huskers App

NEBRASKA-OREGON:

>> Nebraska is 6-3 against Oregon but the Ducks won the last meeting, 3-2, in an NCAA regional semifinal in 2022.

NEBRASKA-WASHINGTON:

>> Nebraska is 6-2 all-time against Washington and has won four in a row in the series, the last coming in a 2016 NCAA regional final in Lincoln.

All stats and info provided courtesy of Nebraska Athletics Communications

>> Nebraska has won 19 matches in a row since a loss at SMU on Sept. 3. Fifteen of the 19 wins have been sweeps.

>> Nebraska is 6-0 against top-10 teams this season, which is the most top-10 wins in a regular season in school history.

>> The Huskers rank 10th nationally and second in the Big Ten with a team hitting percentage of .293.

>> Nebraska ranks eighth nationally in kills per set (14.25).

>> Outside hitter Harper Murray is leading the Huskers with 3.22 kills per set and 24 service aces and is hitting .245. Murray also adds 2.12 digs per set.

>> Opposite hitter Merritt Beason is averaging 3.16 kills per set for the Big Red and is hitting .268 with 1.25 digs per set and 21 aces.

>> Taylor Landfair and Lindsay Krause have split time at NU’s other outside hitter position and have averaged 2.34 and 2.29 kills per set, respectively.

>> Middle blocker Andi Jackson is averaging 2.71 kills with a .456 hitting percentage, which ranks fourth in the nation.

>> Middle blocker Rebekah Allick adds 1.72 kills per set on .353 hitting with 1.28 blocks per set. With one more block, Allick will move into the top 10 in school history in career blocks with 347.

>> Setter Bergen Reilly is averaging 11.12 assists per set, which ranks seventh in the nation and leads the Big Ten. She also adds 2.95 digs per set and has 15 aces. Reilly has 13 double-doubles and has been named Big Ten Setter of the Week three times this season.

>> Three-time All-American and two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Lexi Rodriguez guides the Husker back row with 3.66 digs per set. Against Northwestern on Nov. 3, Rodriguez reached 1,706 career digs, which tied her with Kayla Banwarth for second in school history. Justine Wong-Orantes is the all-time career leader with 1,890.

>> No. 12 Oregon (17-4, 9-3 B1G) lost 3-2 at Washington last week before rebounding with a 3-0 win over UCLA.

>> Mimi Colyer leads the Ducks with 3.93 kills per set and is hitting .271.

>> Onye Ofoegbu adds 2.52 kills per set and is hitting .398 with 1.19 blocks per set.

>> Oregon ranks 11th in the nation in blocks per set (2.80).

>> Washington (17-5, 7-5 B1G) upset No. 10 Oregon 3-2 last week before falling 3-1 at USC on Sunday.

>> Kierstyn Barton leads the Huskies with 3.59 kills per set and contributes 2.61 digs per set.

>> Madi Endsley adds 2.76 kills per set.

SERVE AND PASS

>> Nebraska has allowed just 42 service aces this season, which leads the nation. The next closest team is Pittsburgh with 50 aces allowed.

BALANCED ATTACK

>> Nebraska has seven different players averaging between 1.72 and 3.22 kills per set.

>> Six different players have led the Huskers in kills in a match this season.

>> Reilly ranks seventh nationally averaging 11.12 assists per set.

>> Nebraska’s attack has been one of the best in the nation this season. The Huskers rank 10th in hitting percentage (.293) and eighth in kills per set (14.25).

HOME SWEET HOME

>> Nebraska has won 38 home matches in a row dating back to Dec. 1, 2022, which is the longest active streak in the nation.

>> The Huskers’ home win streak is its longest since moving into the Devaney Center in 2013.

>> Nebraska’s longest all-time home win streak was 88 matches from 2004-09. Since then, NU also has a home win streak of 38 matches in a row from 2009-11.

LEXI RODRIGUEZ

>> Rodriguez is in her final year of a stellar career as the Huskers’ libero. A four-year starter and a three-year team captain, Rodriguez will go down in history as one of the all-time greats in Nebraska volleyball history.

>> Rodriguez has 1,706 career digs entering Thursday’s match at Oregon, which is tied with Kayla Banwarth for second in school history. U.S. Olympian Justine Wong-Orantes is the career leader in digs at NU with 1,890.

>> On Sept. 30, Rodriguez was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the sixth time in her career. She averaged 4.71 digs per set in the first weekend of conference play, helping the Huskers hold UCLA and USC to season-low hitting percentages at the time.

ANDI JACKSON

>> Jackson has elevated her game to new heights in 2024, as she is averaging 2.71 kills per set with a .456 hitting percentage, which ranks fourth in the nation.

>> Jackson was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28 after averaging 1.57 blocks per set in wins against Illinois and Michigan, along with 3.00 kills per set on a .417 hitting percentage.

REBEKAH ALLICK

>> Allick is putting up 1.28 blocks per set so far this season. Offensively, she has provided 1.72 kills per set on .353 hitting.

>> Allick’s career 1.27 blocks per set ranks No. 3 in school history in the rally scoring era.

>> Allick has 346 career blocks entering Thursday’s match at Oregon. With one more, she will join the top 10 in school history in career blocks.

>> In the season-opening victory over Kentucky, Allick had 11 kills and hit .667 while tying her career high with 12 blocks. Her performance earned her Best Middle Blocker and Most Valuable Player honors at the AVCA First Serve Showcase. She averaged 1.90 blocks per set in the first three matches of the season, which earned her Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.

>> Allick was again named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7 after 2.00 blocks per set in sweeps at Illinois and vs. Iowa.

FRONT ROW DEPTH

>> Front row depth is one of the strengths for the 2024 Nebraska volleyball team.

>> While Jackson and Allick have started most of the matches at that position, Leyla Blackwell, a transfer from San Diego, has played in nine matches and made four starts and is putting up 2.39 kills per set on a .493 hitting percentage with 1.39 blocks per set.

>> Blackwell had nine kills and seven blocks and hit .600 earning the start on Oct. 12 vs. Rutgers. She also had seven kills and three blocks and hit .429 while stepping in for a sidelined Andi Jackson at Illinois on Oct. 3.

>> On the pin, Krause has started 12 matches and Landfair has started 11 matches.

>> In her senior season, Krause is averaging 2.29 kills per set and has 15 service aces.

>> Krause was instrumental in Nebraska’s 3-2 win over No. 9 Creighton on Sept. 10 with a team-high 17 kills, five blocks and six digs.

>> Landfair, a senior transfer from Minnesota, is averaging 2.34 kills per set and has started the last seven matches.

>> Landfair tied her season high with 13 kills in a 3-0 sweep at No. 7 Wisconsin on Nov. 1.

JOHN COOK

>> Nebraska coach John Cook is in his 25th season as the Nebraska volleyball head coach in 2024. He has led the Huskers to four national championships, 11 Final Fours, 13 conference championships and 22 Top-10 final rankings since 2000.

>> Cook has 872 career wins and is one of the all-time winningest coaches in NCAA history. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook has led the Huskers to a nation-leading .876 win percentage (711-101).

>> On Sept. 10, 2024, the Huskers defeated No. 9 Creighton 3-2 for Cook’s 695th win at Nebraska, which moved him past Terry Pettit for most wins all-time as the Nebraska volleyball head coach.