Nebraska Volleyball: Changing From A 5-1 To A 6-2 And What That Means

This season, the Husker Volleyball team will change from the 5-1, which is the offense that was run while Lauren Cook was setting, to a 6-2 offensive scheme.  This is a somewhat dramatic departure.

A 5-1 offense means that there are five eligible hitters and one setter (5-1). When the setter is in the front row, she still serves as the team’s primary setter, and is a blocker, but not an option on offense.

In the 6-2, there are six players who are an offensive option when in the front row, and two setters (6-2). Whichever setter is in the back row serves as the primary setter in the given rotation, and the other setter (or opposite hitter) is an option as an attacker. Often, the setter will be subbed out in the front row for a more aggressive hitting attack.

What does this mean for the Huskers? It means that both Junior Mary Pollmiller and Freshman Kelly Hunter will see significant court time. The fact that Pollmiller ran this system at Tennessee helps with the overall learning curve. It also means that the Huskers will always have three strong attackers at the net. As of right now, it appears that Senior Captain Morgan Broekhuis and Freshman Amber Rolfzen will get significant time on offense.

Coach John Cook acknowledged that this could change. It will be easier to return to the 5-1 if the 6-2 isn’t working than it was to install this offense in the first place. Once Freshman Kadie Rolfzen is back to full strength (she’s recovering from an off-season shoulder injury), it might change things again.