Nebraska Volleyball To Open Big Ten Play Against Northwestern

The No. 12 Nebraska volleyball team (6-3, 0-0 Big Ten) turns its attention to Big Ten play this Wednesday, Sept. 22, visiting Northwestern (5-6, 0-0). First serve is set for 8 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.  The match will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM with coverage on the Huskers Radio Network beginning at 7:30.

Quick Hits
• After opening the year on a six-match win streak, the Huskers look to rebound from three straight losses to No. 20 Utah (Sept. 11), No. 16 Stanford (Sept. 14) and No. 5 Louisville (Sept. 18).
• Nebraska held a streak of 60 straight weeks in the top of the AVCA poll before moving to 12th this week. The last time the Huskers ranked outside the top 10 was Sept. 18, 2017, when they were 14th.
• Prior to this week, Nebraska had not dropped consecutive matches since a three-match skid from Oct. 13-20, 2018. In the last 30 years, NU has had three straight losses only four times.
• The last time NU dropped three consecutive non-conference matches was Sept. 14-21, 1991.
• The Huskers played four straight top-20 opponents in an 11-day span this month with No. 19 Creighton (Sept. 8), No. 20 Utah (Sept. 11), No. 16 Stanford (Sept. 14) and No. 5 Louisville (Sept. 18).
• Before Saturday’s loss to Louisville, NU had gone 644 days without being swept. It’s last 3-0 loss was to Wisconsin in the NCAA regional final on Dec. 14, 2019.

Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern is 5-6 (0-0 Big Ten) on the season after a 2-1 weekend at the Chicago Cup, with wins over UIC (3-1) and Loyola Chicago (3-0). In the tournament finale against the Ramblers, Temi Thomas-Ailara led the way with 12 kills, three blocks and two aces. The Wildcats have won four of their last six matches. Thomas-Ailara owns a team-best 3.60 kills per set to rank ninth in the Big Ten, as well as fifth for service aces per set (0.47).

Northwestern finished 4-6 last spring, and Thomas-Ailara earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Shane Davis is in his sixth season at the helm with a career record of 63-86 at Northwestern.

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