Courtesy Nebraska Athletics
It was a happy homecoming for Ann Arbor native Harper Murray, as the senior outside hitter led No. 1 Nebraska volleyball with 16 kills as the Cornhuskers defeated Michigan 26-28, 25-20, 25-20, 25-14, Friday night in Ann Arbor, Mich. NU dropped just its fifth set of the season and just its second in Big Ten play, but still won in four sets.
Murray, whose father played football for the Wolverines, hit .282 against Michigan (13-9, 4-7 Big Ten). Virginia Adriano added 14 kills while hitting a blistering .500. Andi Jackson tallied 13 kills while hitting .455, while Teraya Sigler contributed a double-double: 12 kills and 12 digs. Manaia Ogbechie added 11 kills for NU (22-0, 11-0 Big Ten). Bergen Reilly had 58 set assists and two aces. Michigan was led by Ella Demetrician with 21 kills while Cymarah Gordon added 16 kills and Sydney Schnichels pitched in 10 kills. Nebraska outhit UM, .412-.289, outblocked them 6-5 and outserved them four aces to three. The Wolverines sold out the Crisler Center, selling all 12,707 seats for the match.
After the first half of the first set was hotly contested, Nebraska went on a six-point run to open a 14-9 lead. Michigan surged back, tied the set at 17, then scored four points in a row to push ahead 23-19. The Huskers fought back to tie the set at 23, 24, 25 and 26, but couldn’t retake the lead and back to back kills by Demetrician gave the set to the Wolverines. In set two, the teams were tied at six before Nebraska ran four straight points to push ahead, 10-6. The Huskers never had a lead fewer than three the rest of the set and a five-point NU run grew the lead to 21-13 and all but clinched the set.
In set three, the Wolverines ran three points to jump ahead 10-7, but Nebraska responded with five straight points, jumping ahead 12-10. Michigan evened the set to 12, and the set was also tied at 13 and 14, but the Huskers pushed ahead with points on six of the next eight rallies, taking a 20-16 advantage. Nebraska held off the Wolverines from there to capture the set.
The Huskers bolted out of the gates in set four, taking a 6-1 lead before Michigan took timeout. The Wolverines cut Nebraska’s lead to 8-6, but then the Huskers ran five points to rebuild the lead to 13-6. The Huskers
Nebraska is back in action tomorrow, as the No. 1 Huskers face No. 25 Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. in East Lansing, Mich. Pregame coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on B-107.3.