Nebraska Volleyball brings the show to Kearney, Nebraska for a spring exhibition match. They will play Denver on May 4 at the Nebraska Carney Health and Sports Center. The game begins at 2pm CT on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.
Tickets for this game sold out in 46 minutes after 5,000 tickets were sold through in-person sales only. Kearney Public Schools is the primary sponsor of the event, along with Nebraska Athletics, UNK and the Kearney Tourism Bureau. Doors open at 12:30pm on Saturday.
Here are the storylines to watch during the Huskers' annual spring exhibition match:
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This spring, the new students were in a daze.
The Nebraska freshman has been a star this spring.outside hitter skylar pierce and defensive specialist olivia mauf Did a great job during the beach season as we had experience with sand courts.
Husker head coach John Cook said Mauch and Pierce were the biggest surprises this spring. He didn't expect much from the freshman in his first semester, but Mauch and Pierce surprised him and their teammates.
Both will get a chance to introduce themselves to Husker Nation on Saturday. They will get a chance to play against a college team in front of 5,000 fans.
Nebraska National Volleyball Team Challenges to Improve and Improves the Team as a Whole
Harper Murray suspended
husker outside hitter harper murray He has reportedly been suspended from the Huskers' spring game.
She allegedly shoplifted from SEALs on Thursday, May 2, the Lincoln Journal Star first reported. Murray was charged with driving under the influence, among other changes.
On Friday night, it was reported that Murray had been suspended from the game. In a statement from Nebraska Athletics to the Lincoln Journal Star, NU said Murray's suspension had been decided before Thursday's incident.
Pierce and Krause will be the only outside hitters available for Nebraska on Saturday. This will be a great experience for Pearce and will be a lot of reps for Krause as he returns from injury.
denver husker tie
Denver head coach Megan Pendergast played Husker volleyball from 2009 to 2010. She is in her second season as the Pioneers' coach. Pendergast served as an assistant coach at UCLA, Oklahoma and Tulsa before coming to Denver.
In her first season in Denver, she named two players to the All-Summit League team. Outside hitter Kathy Davis averaged 3.60 kills and 36 aces per set and was named to the first team. Setter Briley Decker was on the All-Summit League Freshman team. She had 9.45 assists per set and 1.74 digs per set.
Nebraska Volleyball Spring Game: Players to Watch
A finely tuned attack
Nebraska has focused on improving its offense this offseason. They focused on group tempo and out-of-system efficiency. Batters are looking for ways to hit harder.
Just like last offseason, the Huskers' main focus this spring has been on offense. With a new setter at the helm in 2023, Nebraska hit .273, its highest batting average since the 2017 season. With each starter returning, this offense will have a chance to step up.
Improved serve
Statistically, Nebraska's biggest weakness in 2023 was serving. They recorded 143 aces, ranking them 252nd in team aces out of 332 teams in the NCAA. NU averaged 1.18 aces per set, ranking 301st in the nation.
The Huskers have the ability to be a great serving team. Both the team and the individuals gradually grew throughout the season. Although there weren't that many aces, NU continued to make extremely tough serves.
Notice how much Nebraska's serve moves in the spring game. Some players are adjusting their serve, so if a few balls miss the mark, that's part of the growing pains. But if a lot of balls move fast and fall off, that's a great sign.
Cook also said he is working on his jump serve, which could debut in the spring game.
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