SMU shocked No. 2 Nebraska in Dallas, sweeping the Huskers 25-23, 25-21, 25-18. The Mustangs, in their first year in the ACC, were unranked, though receiving votes in the national polls. The Nebraska (3-1) offense was not sharp, hitting just .171, while the usually tight Husker defense allowed seven SMU aces to just one for NU, while the Mustangs outblocked Nebraska, 10-9.
Naya Shime and Maya Tabron paced SMU (2-1) with nine kills each, while Nnedi Okammor had nine blocks. The Huskers were led by Merritt Beason with nine kills while Andi Jackson added six blocks.
The first set was tight, with 15 ties and seven lead changes. The Huskers won six of seven rallies to take control of the first set with an 18-13 lead, but a 6-0 run late in set one gave SMU a 22-21 lead. After the Huskers got a kill from Lindsay Krause to tie the set at 22, the Mustangs won three of the final four rallies to win the set, the first set one loss for Nebraska this year.
SMU took control midway through the second set. After a Krause kill pulled the Huskers to within 9-8, the Mustangs tallied five of the next six points to build a 14-9 lead. Nebraska fought its way back and tied the second state, 19-19. But SMU responded and won six of the last eight rallies to clinch the set.
In the third set, the Huskers led 14-13, but the Mustangs ran five straight points to take a 18-14 lead, forcing Nebraska to take a timeout. A Rebekah Allick kill paused the run, but SMU then scored the next five points to build a 23-15 lead. Allick halted the run again with a kill, but the Mustangs’ Maya Tabron forced match point with a kill. Allick again terminated to keep the Huskers alive and a block by Andi Jackson and Merritt Beason prolonged the third set, but a tip by Naya Shime found the floor and clinched the upset for the Mustangs. Nebraska sputtered to the finish, hitting just .070 in the final set.
Nebraska is back in action Thursday at the Devaney Center against the Citadel at 6 p.m. Pregame coverage begins at 5 p.m. on B-107.3.