Nebraska Volleyball vs Pitt Final Four Open Thread

#3 Pitt (30-3) vs #10 Nebraska (25-7)

Watch: ESPN
First serve: Thursday 12/16, 8:30 pm CT
Streaming: ESPN app; Watch ESPN
Radio: Husker Radio Network
Live stats: Accessible by going to the Huskers volleyball schedule and looking for the live stats icon next to tonight’s match info
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Check out the scouting report on Nebraska vs Pitt:

Nebraska will apply a great deal of pressure with their serves. They will target the libero, Ashley Browske as well as each of the outside hitters when they are the front row player. Browske, Kayla Lund and Leketor Member-Meneh are the primary passers in every serve receive rotation. Browske is most prone to error or to making a poor pass. When Lund and Member-Meneh are front row having to pass and then hit can stress them.

The Huskers will dig a ton of balls just like they did against Texas. They will dig balls that Pitt is not used to having dug. Nebraska’s back court will keep balls alive and give their offense another opportunity to terminate the ball. Statistically, Nebraska averages 17.06 digs per set and Pitt only 13.34. This is an opening to Nebraska’s hitters. Force them to dig balls, reduce hitting errors.

Nebraska wins this match behind the strength of their serve and defense. Serve receive passing must be good but perhaps not as good as it HAD TO BE against Texas. Hitters need to vary shots and force the Pitt defense to perform. We know they have a lot of offense but it can only run if they can dig and pass the ball. This is what Nebraska will disrupt.

Nebraska

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/Previous School)
1 Nicklin Hames S 5-10 Sr. Maryville, Tenn. (Webb School)
2 Kenzie Knuckles DS/L 5-8 Jr. Yorktown, Ind. (Yorktown)
3 Kayla Caffey MB 6-0 Sr. Chicago, Ill. (Mother McAuley/Missouri)
4 Anni Evans S 5-9 So. Waverly, Neb. (Waverly)
6 Keonilei Akana DS/L 5-9 So. Hauula, Hawaii (Kamehameha Kapalama)
7 Rylee Gray MB 6-4 Fr. Elkhorn, Neb. (Elkhorn South)
8 Lexi Rodriguez DS/L 5-5 Fr. Sterling, Ill. (Sterling)
9 Kennedi Orr S 6-0 Fr. Eagan, Minn. (Eagan)
10 Madi Kubik OH 6-3 Jr. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
11 Lexi Sun OH 6-2 Sr. Encinitas, Calif. (Santa Fe Christian/Texas)
13 Whitney Lauenstein OH 6-2 Fr. Waverly, Neb. (Waverly)
14 Ally Batenhorst OH 6-4 Fr. Houston, Texas (Seven Lakes)
20 Kalynn Meyer MB 6-3 So. Superior, Neb. (Superior)
22 Lindsay Krause OH 6-4 Fr. Papillion, Neb. (Skutt Catholic)
25 Callie Schwarzenbach MB 6-5 Sr. Kearney, Mo. (Kearney)
26 Lauren Stivrins MB 6-4 Sr. Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral)

Coaching Staff
Head Coach: John Cook (22nd year; San Diego, 1979)
Associate Head Coach: Tyler Hildebrand (2nd year; Long Beach State, 2006)
Assistant Coach: Jaylen Reyes (4th year; BYU, 2015)
Director of Operations: Lindsay Peterson (16th year; Nebraska, 2003)
Video & Administrative Coordinator: Brian Magbitang (2nd year; Wichita State, 2016)
Graduate Assistant: Ryan Vorderer (2nd year; Lindenwood, 2018)
Volunteer Assistant: Kelly Hunter (2nd year; Nebraska, 2017)

Pitt

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown (High School/Previous School)

1 Lexis Akeo S 5’8’’ JR Kapolei, HI (Kamehameha HS)
2 Valeria Vazquez Gomez OH 6’1’’ RS/SO Manati, PR (Colegio Marista Manati)
3 Cat Flood OH 6’2’’ SO Wilmette, IL (New Trier HS)
4 Ashley Browske L 5’10’’ JR Highland Heights, OH (Lake Catholic)
5 Chinaza Ndee RS/MB 5’11, 5th year Houston, Texas (The Kinkaid School)
6 Kylee Levers S 6’0’’ GR Washington, PA (Chartiers-Houston HS)
8 Anastasia Russ MB 6’5’’ RS/SO Pittsburgh, PA (Hampton HS)
9 Jordan Lockwood OH 6’2’’ SR Friendswood, TX (Clear Brook HS/Navarro College)
10 Rachel Fairbanks S 6’0’’ FR Tustin, CA (Foothill HS)
11 Sabrina Starks MB 6’2’’ SR Springfield, NE (Platteview HS)
12 Emmy Klika L/DS 57’’ FR Novelty, OH (Gilmour Academy)
13 Leketor Member-Meneh OH 5’8’’ SR St. Louis, MO (Lutheran HS South/Missouri)
18 Eliana Posada RS 6’2’’ FR Houston, TX (Obra D Tompkins HS)
19 Makayla Jackson MB 6’2’’ FR Plum, PA (Plum HS)
20 Chiamaka Nwokolo MB/RS 6’1’’ JR Columbus, OH (Bishop Hartley HS)
21 Serena Gray MB 6’2’’ SR Temple City, CA (Temple City HS/ Penn State)
23 Kayla Lund OH 6’0’’ GR Pasadena, CA, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy

Coaching Staff
Dan Fisher - Head Coach (8th year, Pacific)
Kellen Petrone - Assistant Coach
Lindsey Behonick - Assistant Coach
Kamalani Akeo- Director of operations
Morgan Thomas- Volunteer Assistant

With a win over Pitt on Thursday, Nebraska advances to the NCAA Championship Final on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The match is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN2.