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Nebraska loses the National Semi Final is straight sets 18-25, 22-25, 19-25.
Nebraska ends the season 28-5.
The fight and will to win were there but the errors were too many. Nebraska and Wisconsin played high stakes volleyball tonight. The amount of skill on display was great. Nebraska did not meet the mark to take a set. Nine set loses to Wisconsin this season hurts all off season long.
Jazz Sweet carried a load for much of the match with 11 kills but wasn’t able make all the kills happen. Lexi Sun had great moments as well offensively. She had 11 kills. Kenzie Knuckles was consistent and solid the whole match. Knuckles had 22 well earned digs. Nothing fell in her lap tonight, she went hard for those digs.
Dana Rettke for Wisconsin, had an off night. She missed serves, hits and blocks she normally terminates. There were openings for Nebraska to take advantage of; some they did, but too many they missed. The second set was the Huskers for the taking but errors got in the way. Missed opportunities.
Nebraska didn’t lose as much as they missed the small, slim moments they had to beat a way highly talented Wisconsin team. The opportunities were there. You felt them as you watched. The “ooooh, come on!”, “HIT THE BALL”, “GOOOOO” moments you yelled at the TV screen. Those were the moments Nebraska created for themselves to win a set.
A set win turns into to two sets and before you know it we are in set five. Those opportunities were met with a missed dig, hit, block that we KNOW Nebraska can execute, but tonight they missed.
These are the things that will motivate and drive ALL these players (no seniors, they all come back) in the off season. They didn’t reach the summit this season but will have to recalibrate as next year is a new team and new season no matter how many players come back.
Wisconsin goes to Pittsburgh for the final four. They meet #1 Baylor there. I like Wisconsin’s chances, not only against Baylor but for the whole the show. I think Wisconsin will win the national championship.