Success in middle bodes well for NU

OMAHA - If John Cook ever does fulfill a dream and coaches a high school football team, don't be surprised to see his offense dust off the triple option.

Cook, for now the volleyball coach of top-ranked Nebraska, beamed as he produced a football analogy to describe what his Huskers were so successful executing Saturday against No. 5 UCLA.

Facing the Bruins' typically tough defense, NU middle blockers Tracy Stalls and Kori Cooper combined for 26 kills on 44 attempts without a single hitting error. Their .591 hitting percentage was as good a night from that position as Cook could recall in all his years of coaching.

He likened what NU did to sending the fullback up the middle and demoralizing an opponent with one first down after another.

“If you can't stop it,” Cook said, “you're in trouble.”

If Nebraska can consistently pass well enough to keep its middles involved, and Stalls (16 kills, .640) and Cooper (10 kills, .526) play anywhere close to Saturday's level, it could spell even greater trouble for NU opponents this season.

Nebraska defeated UCLA 30-23, 22-30, 30-18, 30-21 in the finals of the AVCA Showcase, with tournament MVP Sarah Pavan leading the way with 25 kills and outside hitters Jordan Larson and Christina Houghtelling also notching double-doubles.

But but what had Saturday's crowd of 11,076 buzzing was the consistency with which sophomore setter Rachel Holloway connected with her suddenly dynamic middles. Only once last season - at Iowa State - did both Nebraska middle blockers produce 10 or more kills in the same match.

Getting the middles more involved has been a focus for Nebraska, but achieving so much success so early in the season is a bit of a surprise to even Cook.

“The timing and rhythm of that is very, very important,” Cook said. “That takes time, but Rachel is a year older and Kori and Tracy are both stronger, jumping higher and hitting harder.”

It was NU's 60th consecutive win in matches played in its home state and its third in three tries against UCLA at Qwest Center Omaha after eliminating the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament each of the past two years.

The Huskers (2-0) will return to the Qwest Center on Sunday to face No. 3 Penn State in what shapes up as a giant early-season test. Nebraska opens the Holiday Inn Downtown Classic with a match against Creighton on Friday at the NU Coliseum.