Nebraska 3 vs Grand Canyon 0- 25-12, 25-23, 25-18
We often hear people say that the third middle for Nebraska or the fourth outside hitter would be a starter on any other team in the country and tonight those players lived up to the hyperbolae. Nebraska’s starting lineup was:
Setter-Campbell Flynn
OPP-Virginia Adriano
MB-Rebekah Allick
MB-Manaia Ogbechie
OH-Skylar Pierce
OH-Teraya Sigler
Libero-Olivia Mauch
They swept a solid Grand Canyon team without missed a step. After the Match Flynn said the highlight
for her was hearing her name announced as a starter in the Devaney Center. She found that moment very special. Shout out to the whole Devaney crowd tonight. Watching on the TV we could hear the OOOOOs and AAAAAhhhhs as players hit a great shot or thumped the ball.
Also, special tonight was the play of Ogbechie. A freshman playing middle blocker can be overwhelming. The college game moves faster and blocking that speed is extremely tough. Ogbechie is up to the challenge and she has made the switch from high school ball to college ball. She earned three blocks tonight and was second in kills on the team with 10. She hit .529 with only one hitting error.
Ogbechie is very good now and it fills your mind with the potential of just how good she could become. When she comes to practice, she is not only working hard on her skills, but she is watching and playing against two of the best middles in the country, Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick. Ogbechie’s improvement is like interest, it is compounding and working for her and soon, very soon she is going to see that interest go off the chart.
Speaking of Allick, she did all of the excellent skills she normally does but added serving and playing defense to her long list of skills to does well. I was inspired by her defense and thought her serve was acceptably thumped.
Typically, Nebraska’s coaching staff has Andi Jackson serve and has the libero serve for Allick. Jackson has very good pace on her serve and with her high contact point it gets on the passers fast. Allick made the case tonight for an increase in her role with defensive plays, three digs and second contacts that put hitters in great hitting position. Allick finished the night with eight kills, three assists, three digs and one block. Heck of a stat line!
Maisie Boesiger also had herself a night. Boesiger had an ace and four digs and passed serve very well. She was also great on the second contact running and rescuing digs back into play. It is clear she could step on the court when there is a passing or defensive need and make an impact.
Nebraska plays Creighton in their next match. This takes place Tuesday September 16th at 6:30 pm in the CHI Health Arena. You can watch on FS1.
#18 Creighton hosted #4 Louisville, Rice and University of Northern Iowa this weekend. Louisville beat Creighton in four sets, but the Bluejays beat Rice in three sets today. They play UNI tomorrow.
