“Why not us” was the motto for the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the beginning of this season. The team, who was expected to not even win many games this season due to graduating three All-Americans, proved everyone wrong on Saturday night.
Over 18,500 volleyball fans from across the country filled the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. to watch two of the best teams in college volleyball fight for the NCAA Division I Championship. The University of Florida Gators and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers faced off for the championship with Nebraska coming out on top.
The Cornhuskers took the lead in the first set, although both teams started off sloppy. It began with poor defense and serving before Florida’s Rhamat Alhassan put up two blocks to tie up the beginning of the game. From there, Alhassan and Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins controlled the net for their respective teams.
As the teams continued through the first set, the teams were neck and neck. The score went back and forth until it was tied at 22-22. Nebraska ran away with the rest of the set with a kill from Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke, leaving the game at 25-22.
The second set ended the same as the first, with Nebraska coming out on top thanks to defense. The Cornhusker defense picked itself up with a 61 percent passing percentage compared to Florida’s 38 percent. Nebraska also led the way in hitting percentage with .500 next to Florida’s .038 with Foecke and setter Kelly Hunter leading the way. The Cornhuskers finished on top 25-17, leading the best-of-five match 2-0.
The third set began differently as the Gators came out swinging following the intermission, taking the lead early and keeping it. Florida’s Carli Snyder left her impact from the 10-foot line and the end line. Her hitting, defense and serving led the Gators to a 25-18 win over the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska picked up the pace going into the fourth game, leading the set 4-0. Florida was not able to respond to the offense being fired at them from the service line and the net. Foecke, Hunter and the rest of the Huskers came together to finish off the match. Annika Albrecht and Briana Holman also played their part, getting the ball to the floor while libero Kenzie Maloney did the opposite as the Gators attempted to attack.
The Cornhuskers stuck together and continued with another saying, “With each other, for each other,” as they defeated the Florida Gators 25-16 with Foecke getting the final kill hitting high off the hands of Florida’s Rachael Kramer and Shainah Joseph.
This team finished the tournament with Co-MVPs Hunter and Foecke. Other members on the All-Tournament team included Alhassan, Snyder and Maloney along with Stanford’s Merete Lutz and Penn State’s Simone Lee.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers defied the odds put before them after losing to Florida, Oregon and Northern Iowa to start the season. Believing in their motto “Why not us,” this team came out on top for the fifth national title in the history of their program.
“Sometimes it’s always not the most talent, but it’s the best team and this team defines being the best team,” said coach John Cook in an interview following the game on Saturday. “Their whole of is way bigger than the sum of their parts, and this is an unbelievable team. It is beautiful to watch.”
