NU's Perfect Season Ends in Regional Final
LINCOLN, Neb. - A memorable comeback attempt fell just short for the Nebraska volleyball team Sunday afternoon in a five-set loss to No. 6 Texas A&M in front of 8,650 fans at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Texas A&M won the first two sets to become just the third team this season to win two sets against the Huskers. Facing a 2-0 deficit, Nebraska fought back to win the third set then fought off three match points en route to winning the fourth set, 37-35. But the Huskers were unable to complete the comeback as the Aggies were victorious in the fifth set by a 15-13 margin.
Nebraska ended its season with a 33-1 record while Texas A&M (27-4) advanced to the NCAA Semifinals. Kyndal Stowers (25) and Logan Lednicky (24) each finished with more than 20 kills for Texas A&M, while Morgan Perkins had nine blocks.
Harper Murray paced the Husker offense with a career-high 25 kills, but Texas A&M had more kills (75 to 73) and a higher attack percentage (.275 to .270) than Nebraska. The Aggies also out-blocked Nebraska, 17-8. Bergen Reilly had 58 assists and 13 digs to post a double-double. Rebekah Allick had 15 kills on 25 swings and hit .480 in the match with four blocks. Reilly (13), Olivia Mauch (13) and Laney Choboy (10) each had double-figure digs for the Big Red.
Set 1: Murray had a block, a kill and an ace as the Huskers built a 6-2 lead. Kills by Reilly, Murray and Allick made it 10-3 Big Red. The Aggies pulled within 11-8 after a 5-1 spurt. Allick produced a pair of kills and Adriano tallied another to put NU up 15-10. But a 10-0 run by the Aggies gave them a 20-15 lead. Manaia Ogbechie subbed in and terminated a sideout kill, and Landfair found the corner before Ogbechie connected again to make it 20-18. After a Logan Lednicky kill, the Huskers won a challenge that resulted in a kill for Murray, and a block by Allick and Reilly cut it to 21-20. But Stowers tipped a kill for set point and the Aggies won 25-22 with their fourth ace of the set.
Set 2: NU rallied from down 6-4 to go up 8-6 with kills by Jackson and Landfair and an ace by Murray. But A&M went back in front 14-11 after a 4-0 run. Murray tooled a block for a sideout kill, but the Aggies answered with back-to-back blocks for a 16-12 advantage. Consecutive A&M kills put the Aggies up 19-15 as Nebraska took a timeout. The Aggies earned set point at 24-20. An Ogbechie kill and Aggie hitting error gave NU hope, but the Aggies won 25-22 on a Lednicky kill.
Set 3: The Huskers claimed a 10-5 lead with Murray tallying three kills out of the gate. But Texas A&M cut it to 10-9 with four straight kills. An ace by Sigler, and kills by Allick and Jackson put NU ahead 15-12. NU led 18-17 when Allick and Murray posted kills for a 20-17 lead. Adriano added one, and A&M committed three errors down the stretch as the Huskers won 25-20 on a Murray kill.
Set 4: A&M grabbed a 5-2 lead, but two Murray kills helped the Big Red get back even at 5-5. The Aggies rebuilt an 11-7 lead after a 4-0 run. Landfair ended it with a kill, but A&M went up 12-8 on a Stowers kill. The Aggies increased their lead to 18-11. NU roared back with an 8-1 run to tie it 19-19. Kills by Allick and Murray put NU in front, 21-20. Ogbechie recorded a kill for a 23-22 advantage, but an A&M block tied the score. Adriano terminated to grab set point for the Big Red, but Lednicky answered for A&M. Sigler found the floor for a kill, but Lednicky answered again. Reilly dumped a kill for a third set point try for the Big Red, but NU served out. A&M returned the favor, but Stowers terminated to keep it tied 27-27. Allick sided out once again for the Huskers to make it 28-27, but a block error by the Huskers tied it 28-28. Allick and Adriano teamed up for a block on the ensuing rally to make it 29-29 NU, but the Aggies came right back with a block. A&M committed an attacking error but followed with a kill to keep it tied. Ogbechie terminated, but so did Lednicky. The Huskers then hit wide to give the Aggies match point at 32-31. But A&M served into the net to keep NU alive. The teams then traded service errors to a 33-33 tie. Stowers and Allick traded kills for a 34-34 tie. A&M attacked wide to make it 35-34 NU, but Stowers got a kill off of NU's fingertips to make it 35-35. Murray's career-high 24th kill put NU ahead 36-35, and Adriano finally finished off the set in NU's favor, 37-35.
Set 5: Allick and Adriano had early kills, and Ogbechie and Murray combined for a block, as the Huskers went up 3-2. But the Aggies gained a 5-3 advantage with a kill, a Husker hitting error, and a block. The Aggies hit long before a Murray ace tied it 5-5. A&M went ahead 7-5 when Reilly won a joust at the net to make it 7-6. But A&M scored the next three to go up 10-6. A service error ended the run, but A&M claimed a 12-7 lead after a kill and Husker hitting error. After a timeout, Allick posted her 14th kill to make it 12-8, and A&M hit into the net to cut the deficit to 12-9. Stowers answered with a kill to go up 13-9, but Allick answered for the Big Red with a kill. Choboy served an ace to make it 13-11, and A&M called timeout. Adriano and Ogbechie stuffed an A&M attack to make it 13-12, but Lednicky tooled a block for match point at 14-12. Murray stepped up with her 25th kill, but the Aggies got a kill from Lednicky to win 15-13.
Lincoln All-Regional Team
Chloe Chicoine, Louisville
Rebekah Allick, Nebraska
Harper Murray, Nebraska
Ava Underwood, Texas A&M
Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M
Maddie Waak, Texas A&M
Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M (Most Outstanding Player)