Indiana Volleyball Comes to Play and Disrupt #4 Nebraska at Home

#4 Nebraska (19-2, B1G 11-1) vs Indiana (13-11, B1G 6-6)
When: Wednesday, November 2 2022, 8:00 pm (CT)
Where: Devaney Center
Video: BTN
Radio: Husker Radio Network

#4 Nebraska (19-2, B1G 11-1)

#1 Nicklin Hames 5’10’’ SR Setter
#2 Kenzie Knuckles 5’8’’ SR DS/L
#4 Anni Evans 5’9’’ JR Setter
#5 Bekka Allick 6’4’’ FR MB
#7 Maisie Boesiger 5’6’’ FR DS/L
#8 Lexi Rodriguez 5’5’’ SO DS/L
#9 Kennedi Orr 6’0’’ SO Setter
#10 Madi Kubik 6’3’’ SR OH
#13 Whitney Lauenstein 6’2’’ SO OH
#14 Ally Batenhorst 6’5’’ SO OH
#22 Lindsay Krause 6’4’’ SO OH
#23 Kaitlyn Hord 6’4’’ SR MB
#33 Hayden Kubik 6’2’’ FR OH
#44 Maggie Mendelson 6’5’’ FR MB

Indiana (13-11, B1G 6-6)

#3 Candela Alonso-Corcelles 6’2’’ FR OH
#4 Mady Saris 6’1’’ SO OH
#10 Camryn Haworth 5’10 SO Setter
#15 Savannah Kjolhede 6’3’’ JR MB
#16 Morgan Geddes 6’2’’ JR OH
#17 Paula Cerame 5’8’’ SR Libero
#18 Kaley Rammelsberg 6’1’’ SR MB

There are eight matches remaining in the Nebraska volleyball schedule for the regular season. Just eight left! Four of those eight matches are at home, and one of those is tonight against Indiana. The Hoosier are not ranked in the top 25, and they haven’t been very close all season. The Hoosiers are the ninth best team in the conference.

So while none of the seeds or rankings sound too impressive at the surface, don’t be fooled; the Hoosiers could give Nebraska a match tonight. Indiana beat Michigan 13 days ago in four sets. Two nights later they beat Michigan State, then beat Rutgers and most recently on October 30th, lost to Purdue in four sets. So they may be getting hot!

Indiana finds success this season by disrupting the blocking patterns of opposing team with multiple offensive weapons. Every hitter is a threat. Nebraska’s block was impressive against their last opponent, Maryland, with 12 total teams block in the three set match. So this is another strength vs strength matchup for the Huskers.

In the three days since that match, Nebraska continues to work on blocking form and timing as this skill continues to be a vital part of their defense. They also have emphasized consistent serve receive passing. Passing serve has not be as good as Coach Cook would like in the last two matches.

Indiana’s toughest serves come from their setter, Camryn Haworth and libero, Paula Cerame. Based on her missed passes recently, expect them to target Kenzie Knuckles.

While Knuckles missing passes in the last couple matches is concerning, it is similar to a hitter in baseball; she can pull out of it by focuses on the fundamentals that we know she has. She is not an unskilled passer, she is simply going through a slump. This is something to continue to watch as the post season moves closer.

Another part of the match to watch is the connection between the setters and middles for Nebraska. We watched Nicklin Hames and Kaitlyn Hord connect beautifully multiple times against Maryland. This development increases the offensive opportunities for everyone on the Huskers.

If Hord is a threat and Hames can set her in many situations then blockers, at least two of them, must respect this and hold fast in their spot to try to block her. When they have to do all that to counter Hord, the blockers are slower to get to the outside where Lauenstein, Krause, Kubik and Batenhorst are awaiting the set which often will leave a hole in the block in which to hit.

I bet if you ask an outside hitter which is a prettier sight, a sunset on the beach or a hole in the block?...They will pick the latter. What do you pick?

GBR.