The No. 3 Nebraska volleyball team (5-0) faces its first road contest this Wednesday, Sept. 8, visiting No. 19 Creighton (6-0) at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. First serve in the top-20 matchup is set for 6:30 p.m.
The match will be televised on FS1 and also available on the FOX Sports app, with Bob Brainerd and Jill Dorsey on the call. This week’s action will be carried on Huskers Radio Network with the NU radio team of John Baylor and Lauren Cook West. Baylor is in his 28th season handling play-by-play duties for the Husker volleyball program, and West, a former All-America setter at NU, will provide color commentary for the sixth straight year.
Huskers Radio Network will carry the matches on HRN radio affiliates, including 107.3 FM in Lincoln and AM 590 in Omaha. A live audio stream will be available at Huskers.com and on the Huskers app.
Quick Hits
• After a 3-0 weekend at the Ameritas Players Challenge, Nebraska remained undefeated and moved up one spot to No. 3 in the national rankings.
• Wednesday’s battle of the unbeatens also brings the Huskers’ first meeting with a ranked opponent this season.
• Nebraska opened the year with back-to-back home weekends and now plays its first road match. In the John Cook era (2000-present), the Huskers are 17-4 in their first match away from Lincoln.
• Kayla Caffey was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for the first time in her career.
• Caffey’s .500 hitting percentage ranks ninth nationally and third in the Big Ten.
• Ally Batenhorst made her career debut last weekend, making her the fifth NU freshman to see the court this year.
• Madi Kubik was NU’s leader in kills in three straight matches vs. K-State (13), Omaha (16) and Georgia (15).
Scouting the Creighton Bluejays
Creighton is 6-0 on the season after three wins at last weekend’s Bluegrass Battle in Lexington, Ky. The Bluejays defeated USC 3-2 on Friday and swept No. 3 Kentucky and UNI on Saturday. Having previously received votes in the last two AVCA polls, Creighton moved up to No. 19 for its first national ranking of the year.
Jaela Zimmerman, who was the Bluegrass Battle MVP, was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, and Norah Sis was tabbed BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Monday.
CU finished 12-4 (7-1 BIG EAST) last spring, advancing to its ninth straight NCAA Tournament. The Jays were chosen the conference’s 2021 preseason favorite, and Zimmerman and Naomi Hickman were both named Preseason All-BIG EAST.
Head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in her 19th season at Creighton with a career record of 389-175.
Nebraska leads the all-time series with CU at 19-0, including 16-0 in the John Cook era.
Last Time Out: Nebraska vs. Creighton
Then-No. 2 Nebraska last faced then-No. 18 Creighton on Aug. 30, 2019, winning 3-1 (25-19, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21) to open the season at the Husker Invitational at the Devaney Center. Lexi Sun posted a team-high 13 kills, and Capri Davis added 10 kills off the bench for the Huskers. Nebraska held CU to a .067 hitting percentage while hitting .181 on the night. NU had eight blocks, five of which came from Callie Schwarzenbach. Kenzie Knuckles had a match-high 22 digs in her Husker debut, and Nicklin Hames had 35 assists and 15 digs to go with four aces.
Keeley Davis led the Jays with 13 kills, and Jaela Zimmerman added 12 kills and 10 digs.
Back in the Big O
The last time Nebraska and Creighton met at the CHI Health Center Omaha was Sept. 6, 2018, when the Huskers rallied past a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in the only five-set meeting between the two programs. A crowd of 14,022 fans watched the match, which remains the largest regular-season volleyball attendance total in NCAA history.
NU and CU have met five times at the Omaha facility, which has gone by three names since its opening in 2003.
NEBRASKA/CREIGHTON MATCHUPS IN DOWNTOWN OMAHA
Date – Result
Sept. 24, 2006 — W, 3-1 at Qwest Center Omaha
Oct. 5, 2008 — W, 3-0 at Qwest Center Omaha
Aug. 31, 2010 — W, 3-0 at Qwest Center Omaha
Sept. 15, 2015 — W, 3-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha
Sept. 6, 2018 — W, 3-2 at CHI Health Center Omaha
Husker-Bluejay Ties
Creighton assistant coach Angie Oxley Behrens was a four-year starter at Nebraska from 1997 to 2000, playing for NU coach John Cook her senior season. She was a teammate of current Nebraska Director of Operations Lindsay Peterson and was a member of the Husker team that captured the 2000 NCAA Championship.
Additionally, Lindsay Krause and CU’s Megan Skovsende were three-year teammates at Skutt Catholic, where they won three state titles together.
Up Next
Nebraska returns home for another top-20 matchup, playing host to No. 20 Utah on Saturday, Sept. 11. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m., and the match will be streamed on Big Ten Network+. John Baylor and Lauren Cook West will have the radio call on Huskers Radio Network.
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