Once again, Nancy Metcalf led the Huskers’ attack. The senior outside hitter pounded 12 kills while swinging at a .375 clip. Sophomore outside hitter Anna Schrad totaled 11 kills on a season-high .450 hitting percentage, while Laura Pilakowski and Jenny Kropp each added 10. Junior setter Greichaly Cepero produced 36 assists, three kills on three attacks and two service aces.

Danielle Bauer led UC Santa Barbara with nine kills, but hit just .025.

“The Huskers came out and took care of UCSB today,” NU Coach John Cook said. “I was really, really worried about this match, because I hadn’t been in this situation in two years as a coach. I was nervous. We were flat in warm-ups, but we settled down and executed well.”

Nebraska built a 19-15 lead in the first game, and then pulled away with a 5-0 run that included kills by Schrad, Metcalf and Kropp. The Gauchos regained the serve on an illegal hit call against Cepero, but Pilakowski pounded a kill as the Huskers ran three points with Lindsay Wischmeier serving. UCSB closed the lead to 28-20, Huskers, after a service error by Cepero and a Nebraska attack error, but Pilakowski stabilized the Huskers with her fourth kill of the game to force a game-point situation. NU took the 30-20 first-game one win when the Gauchos were called for an illegal hit on the next possession.

The Huskers carried their momentum into the second game, racing to a 13-7 lead and then widening their advantage to 19-7 with 6-0 run that included blocks by Cepero and Holmquist. UCSB scored four straight behind two kills from Courtney Guerra, but the Huskers led 27-15 after a kill from Kropp. NU took a 29-16 lead after back-to-back kills by Schrad, but couldn’t convert on its first game-point attempt as Metcalf served into the net. The Huskers took the 30-17 game-two when an attack by the Gauchos sailed wide.

The Gauchos closed NU’s lead to 11-9 after an ace serve from freshman setter Mari Bell, but Schrad answered with a service ace of her own two plays later to make it 13-9, Nebraska. The Huskers widened the gap to 19-12 before Brooke Niles finally answered for UCSB with a kill. The Huskers led by 11 after back-to-back blocks by Amber Holmquist and Schrad. Holmquist secured the 30-19 third-game win and the match with a kill.

Nebraska returns to action this weekend when No. 17 Pepperdine, No. 20 Notre Dame and No. 7 UCLA travel to Lincoln for the US Bank/Arby’s Classic Sept. 7-9. The Huskers begin tournament action with the Waves Friday at 7 p.m. at the NU Coliseum.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.

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