Nebraska Volleyball Sweeps No. 18 Washington, Clinches Title Share

25 and 0, and a piece of the Big Ten title already in hand.

No. 1 Nebraska volleyball swept No. 18 Washington 25 to 20, 25 to 13, 25 to 22 Sunday afternoon in front of 9,294 at Alaska Airlines Arena. It was the Huskers’ second top-20 road win in about 24 hours, after sweeping No. 12 Oregon on Saturday night.

The win clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title. Nebraska has three Big Ten matches left and needs just one more win to own it outright. It is the program’s 38th conference title, its seventh in the Big Ten, and the first time the Huskers have won four straight conference titles since 2004 to 2008 in the Big 12.

A hitting number Nebraska has never posted against a ranked team

Nebraska hit .477. That is the best hitting percentage the Huskers have ever posted against a ranked opponent in the rally-scoring era. Washington hit .210.

The Huskers cleared .400 for the fourth time in their last five matches, and they got better as the day went on: .419 in the first set, .464 in the second, .556 in the third.

Murray started it and finished it

Harper Murray led everybody with 13 kills on .357 and added three aces. She ended the first set with a kill and ended the match with an ace.

Virginia Adriano added nine kills on .438. Manaia Ogbechie was nearly perfect, seven kills on nine swings with no errors for a .778 clip. Bergen Reilly ran it with 37 assists and eight digs, and went 4 for 4 attacking. Teraya Sigler led the defense with 10 digs and added six kills.

Washington’s best was Samantha Destler, with 12 kills.

How it went

The first set was a fight. Sigler’s kill made it 7 to 2 and forced a Washington timeout, but the Huskies answered with a 9 to 2 run and led 10 to 9. Nebraska held a 15 to 14 edge at the media timeout, pulled ahead 20 to 17 on a Washington attack error and never let the Huskies closer than three. Murray put it away.

The second set was Nebraska’s. After Katy Wessels tied it at 9, the Huskers reeled off six straight points, then another six in a row to go up 22 to 11 on a Murray ace. Reilly ended it with a kill. Washington hit .069 in that set.

The third was the only time Washington had Nebraska in real trouble. The Huskies led 15 to 14 at the media timeout. Nebraska scored four straight, Washington tied it at 19, and Destler’s kill gave the Huskies a 21 to 20 lead. Nebraska closed on a 5 to 1 run: an Ogbechie kill, a Washington setting error, a block from Ogbechie, Reilly and Murray, a Murray kill, and the Murray ace that made it 25 and 0.

The numbers keep stacking

This is the eighth 25 and 0 start in program history. The regular season winning streak is up to 56. The road and neutral streak is 27, tied for seventh in NCAA history and second in program history. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly is now 24 and 1 against ranked teams at Nebraska and 66 and 28 in her career.

Catch up on the run in the Nebraska Volleyball Beats Michigan State recap.

Next: Illinois, with the outright title on the line

Nebraska comes home to face Illinois Thursday, Nov. 12, at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. First serve is 6 p.m. CT on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

Husker Nation, one more win and the Big Ten title is all Nebraska’s.