The Bob Devaney Sports Center bid farewell (kind of) to several seniors on a night where one of the Huskers dominated a conference rival.
No. 11 Nebraska (20-6, 14-3 Big Ten) swept No. 15 Penn State (19-8, 12-5 Big Ten) 25-14, 23, 23 to not only stay in the hunt for a Big Ten Conference title, but go up a half-game on Wisconsin. The
No. 5 Badgers are at No. 9 Minnesota Sunday.
The Huskers hit just .186 for the match, but held Penn State to .088.
Madi Kubik led Nebraska with 12 kills, adding three digs, two blocks, and an ace.
Nicklin Hames dished out 38 assists to go with a team-high 14 digs and a season-high four blocks. The assists and digs add up to her team-leading 18th double-double this season.
Nebraska closes out the regular-season with road matches at Wisconsin and Purdue next weekend.
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Nebraska seniors Lauren Stivrins, Callie Schwarzenbach, Nicklin Hames, Kayla Caffey, and Lexi Sun were honored at the Devaney Center Friday after their sweep of Penn State. (Photo Kenny Larabee)
For at least two seniors, this was the final regular-season match in front of the home crowd.
Multiple-time All-Americans Lauren Stivrins and Lexi Sun used their extra season of eligibility to play this year. The return of Stivrins for conference play and Sun’s reemergence as a starter have propelled this team down the stretch.
Senior Middle Blocker Lauren Stivrins (Photo by Kenny Larabee)
Senior Outside Hitter Lexi Sun (Photo by Kenny Larabee)
Kayla Caffey, Nicklin Hames, and Callie Schwarzenbach will all have decisions to make after the season about how, or even if, to use their extra year as allotted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Senior Middle Blocker Kayla Caffey (Photo by Kenny Larabee)
Senior Setter Nicklin Hames (Photo by Kenny Larabee)
Senior Middle Blocker Callie Schwarzenbach (Photo by Kenny Larabee)
Those five will have at least one more chance to play at the Devaney Center with Nebraska likely to host at least a Regional in the NCAA Tournament.