Huge rally gives Huskers win at K-State
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BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star
MANHATTAN, Kan. — It’s no easy drive, the trip from Lincoln to Manhattan, Kan.
There are so many turns, your blinkers never seem to get a rest. Then there are the rail crossings, and all the stoplights, not to mention the little detour around Tuttle Creek this fall.
For second-ranked Nebraska, Saturday’s wild five-game volleyball win at Kansas State felt a lot like a drive down U.S. 77.
Already down two games and trailing 9-5 in game three, the Huskers’ season was at a crossroads, and because they didn’t turn back, they’re still on course for achieving their goals of repeating as Big 12 and national champs.
“It’s better to be going through all this tough stuff now rather than the regionals or the final four,” said senior Sarah Pavan, who drove home 31 kills, her highest total in a regular-season match.
“Yeah, we were in a rough match,” she added, “but I think we’re finally figuring out how to come together and how to fight.”
In danger of being swept for the second time in 11 days and extended to five games in back-to-back matches, Nebraska persevered to outlast No. 12 Kansas State 24-30, 27-30, 30-25, 30-19, 15-8 before a boisterous crowd of 3,254 at Ahearn Field House.
For Pavan and the other Nebraska seniors, Saturday’s win marked the fourth time in their careers that the Huskers have rallied to win after losing games one and two.
And while the season wasn’t at stake when Nebraska headed to the locker room down 2-0 as it was against Minnesota in last year’s NCAA Tournament, much was on the line. Pavan said players challenged other players, and down the stretch, NU coach John Cook said what he saw — especially defensively — reminded him of the Huskers of old.
“They realized that they had to come together and really play as a team, and that was really fun to see,” Cook said. “They just went to a completely different level the last two games, but especially in game five.”
Just as they did in defeating Missouri on Wednesday, the Huskers (21-1, 13-1 Big 12) dominated game five. They led 7-1, scoring seven straight points as Jordan Larson mixed in an ace and Pavan and Christina Houghtelling both contributed two kills.
Cook, pacing the sideline like a sweat-stained basketball coach, orchestrated several plays verbally and celebrated each winner with a pump of the fist.
In game four, it was the Huskers who celebrated each of their six blocks, including two from Larson and four from middle blocker Tracy Stalls.
“I asked the team, ‘Why all of the sudden did we start blocking?’ Their answer was, ‘We knew we had to,’” Cook said. “Defense is a mentality, and in games four and five, I don’t think they got a clean kill that we didn’t touch with the block or dig.”
That was a far cry from game one, when Kansas State’s Natalya Korobkova seemingly could score at will. Game two was as confusing as Cook’s lineup card, which he turned in with Stalls and Kori Cooper both in the front row.
Leading 3-2 when the officials caught the error, Cook elected to replace Larson, an outside hitter, with middle blocker Amanda Gates, and inserted freshman Tara Mueller at outside hitter for Cooper.
Nebraska fought to an 18-18 tie before nine late hitting errors proved too much to overcome.
After the comeback, Cook joked that divine intervention might have led to the mixup. Another intervention of sorts took place in the locker room between games two and three.
“We talked about the changes we had to make and we talked about how bad we wanted to win this game,” Pavan said. “There was a lot said, and I think people really listened and took it to heart.”
Pavan took command in game three, pounding nine kills in 13 swings, and Nebraska got a lift defensively from Kayla Banwarth, who began to play three rotations in place of libero Rachel Schwartz.
“I was hoping to just kind of create a spark, because at times, it seemed dead tonight,” said Banwarth, who most recently has played solely as a serving specialist. “I wanted to help get them going, help get the momentum on our side tonight, and I helped get everyone pumped up, I think.”
Nebraska’s comeback certainly brought to life the half of Saturday’s crowd dressed in red, even as they faced that adventurous ride home.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
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