Volleyball: #12 Nebraska vs #30 Michigan and Friday Night Football Schedule

#12 Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-3) vs University of Michigan (8-3)
When: Friday, October 1, 2021, 6:00 pm (CT)
Where: Devaney Center, Lincoln, NE
Video: Big Ten Network, Fox Sports App
Radio: Husker Sports Network – Lincoln (B107.3 FM); Omaha (AM 590); Huskers.com; Huskers App

This afternoon there were three volleyball inductees to Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame : Jordan Larson (2005-08), former head coach Terry Pettit (1977-99) 2020 class and Cathy Noth (1981-84).

Three Husker volleyball teams will be honored as part of a Weekend of Champions event at the Devaney Center. Tonight, NU’s 1990 NCAA Semifinal team will be honored during the match. Coached by Pettit, the 1990 squad swept three matches to advance to the national semifinals and finished 32-3.

On Sunday, NU will recognize both the 2000 and 2001 Husker teams in-match. The 2000 squad was John Cook’s first team at Nebraska and posted a perfect 34-0 season en route to the national championship. The 2001 team finished 31-2 and reached the national semifinals.

Nebraska players were excited to have so many alumni in town for the weekend. Lindsay Krause said “it is super cool to have them back and for them to see the culture that they helped build”. After all the festivities there will be great volleyball to watch with the current 2021 team.

University of Michigan brings a balanced attack to Devaney. Paige Jones leads the Wolverines with 3.79 kills per set but her supporting cast is strong. Jess Mruzik and May Pertofsky add 3.38 and 2.57 kills per set respectively. As a team, Michigan hits .258.

The middles, Jess Robinson and Jacque Boney, add 1.74 and 1.05 kills per set. These two players are respectable blockers too. Robinson averages 1 block per set and Boney 1.36 blocks per set.

The Wolverines will also come in serving tough. You probably have an image of Jones’ serve in your mind; she tosses the ball high, she takes a run approach and she puts a ton of top spin and speed on the ball. Her serve is memorable and leads to passes off the net but Pertofsky averages .52 aces per set. Mruzik and setter Scottee Johnson both average about .3 aces per set. As a team they earn 1.3 aces per set. They get at least a point per set just on their serving.

Nebraska is also a tough serving team and averages 1.24 aces per set. We hear Coach Cook say often that the best servers and passers will play. This statement should prove true tonight because the team that serves toughest and passes serve best will win.

Michigan most recently beat Michigan State in four sets. Before that, they lost to Minnesota in five sets in Minneapolis. The Wolverines were impressive against the Gophers. They were down 0-2 in sets and didn’t give up. They did exactly what a coach asks every team to do, play to win and play inside each point.

Nebraska must keep their foot on the gas pedal until the last point tonight. Michigan will come with too many offensive threats to ever be out of the match. Like most teams this season, they returned most of their starters from last year and those starters brought all the experience with them. Michigan’s only new starter is 6’4’’ freshman middle Boney.

University of Nebraska (8-3)

#1 Nicklin Hames 5’10’’ SR Setter – 2.85 digs per set
#2 Kenzie Knuckles 5’8’’ JR DS – 1.59 digs per set, .961 reception %
#3 Kayla Caffey 6’0’’ SR MB – 2.89 kills per set, 1.0 blocks per set
#4 Anni Evans 5’9’’ SO Setter
#6 Keonilei Akana 5’9’’ SO DS – 2.0 digs per set, .927 reception %
#7 Rylee Gray 6’4’’ FR MB
#8 Lexi Rodriguez 5’5’’ FR Libero – 3.73 digs per set, .982 reception %
#9 Kennedi Orr 6’0’’ FR Setter
#10 Madi Kubik 6’3’’ JR OH – 2.68 kills per set, .42 blocks per set, .930 reception %
#11 Lexi Sun 6’2’’ SR OH- 3.11 kills per set, .52 blocks per set, .947 reception %
#13 Whitney Lauenstein 6’2’’ FR OH – 1.45 kills per set, .44 blocks per set
#14 Ally Batenhorst 6’4’’ FR OH – 1.83 kills per set, .28 blocks per set, .936 reception %
#20 Kalynn Meyer 6’3’’ SO MB
#22 Lindsay Krause 6’4’’ FR OH – 2.74 kills per set, .82 blocks per set, .824 reception %
#25 Callie Schwarzenbach 6’5’’ SR MB – 1.88 kills per set, 1.33 blocks per set
#26 Lauren Stivrins 6’4’’ SR MB

University of Michigan (8-3)

#1 Paige Jones 6’1’’ SR OH
#4 Scottee Johnson 6’0’’ SO Setter
#5 Jess Mruzik 6’1’’ SO OH
#9 Hannah Grant 5’8’’ R/SO Libero
#14 Jess Robinson 6’2’’ JR MB
#16 Haley Hallgren 6’1’’ GR utility player – transfer student from USC. Won two national championships in beach volleyball
#17 Jacque Boney 6’4’’ FR MB
#18 May Pertofsky 6’1’’ JR OPP

Fright Night Football Schedule

Hey, it’s another night for Ivy football! Which is fun but not the most intriguing game on the docket tonight. If you can stand to watch them play, I would recommend Iowa vs. Maryland. Iowa is a top 5 team and Maryland is undefeated since…..the Bush administration?

I’m not sure the last time the Terps were undefeated at this point of the season. Should be a good test for them as Iowa will throw everything they have at them. Is this a bounce back from their dismal performance against a woeful Colorado State? Will Taulia Tagovailoa dominate one of the best defenses he has gone up against?

BYU at Utah State should also be fairly decent but I would expect the Cougars to pull off this in state match up.