Top-ranked Nebraska needed just three sets to finish its nonconference slate undefeated, rolling past Missouri 25-10, 25-17, 25-14 on Wednesday night in front of 10,497 fans at John Cook Arena. The match was a makeup from the Sept. 6 Big Ten/SEC Challenge contest at Wrigley Field in Chicago, which was suspended after a short stretch of play because humidity left the court dangerously slippery. Officials restarted the contest from 0-0 in Lincoln. The Huskers wore the pinstripe jerseys originally intended for the baseball stadium setting.
Nebraska improved to 11-0. The Huskers hit .380 as a team, recorded eight blocks, and limited Missouri (7-5) to a season-low .020 hitting percentage. Nebraska posted its 12th and 13th sets hitting above .400 this season, attacking at .448 in the first set and .400 in the third.
Andi Jackson and Harper Murray each finished with 10 kills to lead the offense. Jackson was nearly unstoppable, hitting .667 with zero errors on 15 swings and adding a team-high six blocks. Murray recorded double-digit kills for the third consecutive match. Virginia Adriano contributed a season-high nine kills, and Manaia Ogbechie added seven. Bergen Reilly ran the offense with 29 assists and eight digs. Laney Choboy led the defense with 11 digs, while Olivia Mauch posted 10 digs for the eighth straight match.
The dominant result came with a note of concern. Sophomore outside hitter Teraya Sigler, Nebraska’s second-leading scorer entering the night, slipped on a wet spot while attacking in the second set, was helped off the court, and did not return. She later sat behind the bench to support her teammates in the third set wearing a boot.
Set 1: Huskers pull away early
The teams traded points to 3-3 before Nebraska erupted on an 8-0 run with Murray serving, stretching the lead to 11-3. Missouri briefly cut the deficit to 14-7, but the Huskers answered with a 5-0 burst to go up 19-7. Murray’s consecutive kills created a set point at 24-10, and Jackson closed it with a solo block.
Set 2: Missouri stays closer, but Nebraska pulls clear
Missouri made the second set more competitive, trimming an 8-4 deficit to 12-10. With the score 16-13, Nebraska responded with a 5-0 run to reach 21-13 and closed on kills from Jackson and Reilly.
Set 3: Early deficit erased, then a finishing run
Missouri led 5-3 early, but Nebraska tied it at 8-8 and then scored 10 of the next 12 points to seize an 18-10 advantage. The Tigers got as close as 19-14 before the Huskers ended the match with a 6-0 run.
Nebraska now turns to Big Ten play. The Huskers host Rutgers on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. inside John Cook Arena. The match will air on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.
