Huskers get another ranked win with sweep of USC

The Nebraska volleyball team collected another win over a ranked opponent, making quickly work of 20th-ranked USC on Sunday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center (25-18, 25-22, 25-16).

It’s the sixth top-25 win for the Huskers already this season and fourth via sweep. Nebraska is now 12-1 on the season and will be back in action on Thursday night at Illinois, the Big Red’s first road match of conference play.

Nebraska had it going right from the start on Sunday night.

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While the Trojans hung with the Huskers early on, Nebraska used a 7-2 run to take control of the set. After USC got a couple points back, the Huskers surged forward again, using a 10-1 run to double up the Trojans and get to set point. USC fought off six set points but Nebraska finally closed it out on a Lindsay Krause kill. The Huskers had three of their four aces on the night in that first frame.

Set 2 was much tighter, with USC actually holding a slim lead much of the stanza. Then, the Huskers went on another run, this one an 11-5 rush — including a 5-0 run to claim the lead — to go up 2-0 on the Trojans.

The third and final frame was similar to the first in that the Trojans hung tight early, even building a slim lead, before Nebraska pulled away. USC’s last lead was 7-6 and was followed by a 5-1 Huskers surge. The Big Red used an 8-1 run later to put the set out of reach and cruised to the finish line.

Former longtime Husker Ally Batenhorst had a match-high 13 kills for the Trojans but also nine total errors. Her former teammates showed her some love before and after the match and she spoke fondly of her time in Lincoln.

Nebraska was led by Harper Murray’s 12 kills. Merritt Beason added 11 kills and nine digs; Lexi Rodriguez had a match-high 13 digs; Bergen Reilly had a match-high 33 assists and eight digs; and Rebekah Allick led the way with three blocks, while Beason and Krause each aded two.

The Huskers and Illini are set to start at 6 p.m. on Thursday.