The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team will head to Champaign, Ill., for a pair of matches against Illinois this weekend. The Huskers and Fighting Illini will battle on Friday at 8 p.m. The teams will meet again on Saturday at 6 p.m.
• Nebraska is off to a 7-1 start but has had four matches postponed so far, including last weekend’s series at No. 1 Wisconsin. Nebraska hasn’t played a match since Feb. 21, while Illinois hasn’t played since Feb. 20.
• The Huskers led the Big Ten in defense last season and so far this season have picked up where they left off, holding opponents to .150 hitting to rank second in the conference behind only the Badgers (.122).
• Nebraska’s .261 season hitting percentage also ranks second in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin (.351).
• Nebraska ranks first in the conference in kills (14.63 per set), assists (13.19 per set) and second in service aces (1.63 per set).
• Senior outside hitter Lexi Sun leads the Huskers with 3.67 kills per set with a team-high 11 service aces as well as 2.52 digs per set.
• Senior middle blocker Lauren Stivrins is putting up 3.41 kills per set on a team-high .478 hitting percentage, which ranks first in the Big Ten Conference.
• Sophomore outside hitter Madi Kubik adds 3.11 kills per set and 2.85 digs per set.
• Junior setter Nicklin Hames paces the Husker attack with 11.26 assists per set – most in the Big Ten
• Illinois (2-6) began the season with two wins at Iowa but since then has lost six in a row to No. 1 Wisconsin, No. 10 Penn State and No. 19 Ohio State. The Fighting Illini rank 10th in the conference in hitting (.184) and 11th in opponent hitting (.255). Illinois is the top serving team in the Big ten with 65 aces (1.97 per set).
• Nebraska is 27-8-1 all-time against Illinois.
