Metcalf, a senior right side hitter, posted a team-high 15 kills while swinging at a .382 clip. She also added 13 digs and eight blocks in helping the Huskers to improve to 11-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big 12. Kropp smashed 10 kills and committed zero errors in 18 attacks for a .556 hitting percentage. She also added a match-high nine blocks.

Junior setter Greichaly Cepero fell just four kills short of her first triple-double of the season, posting 39 assists and a season-high 14 digs while leading NU to a ..299 hitting percentage. Sophomore defensive specialist Jenae Dowling added a career-best 10 digs.

Grand Island native Liz Wegner tallied a match-high 18 kills for the Wildcats, who fell to 7-4 overall.

The Huskers struggled early, coming from behind to win game one. Kansas State increased its four-point lead to an 18-12 advantage with a kill by Pollard. Nebraska pulled within one, as Cepero keyed a 5-0 run with two kills. The Wildcats answered with four straight points with the help of two NU errors. Pilakowski stopped the run with a kill, but KSU led by four once again five rallies later. The Huskers turned to Kropp, who blocked Wegner and slammed two kills to tie it at 24. Nebraska took its first lead since the early moments of the game on a service ace by Pilakowski. The score was tied three more times before Pilakowski slammed a kill off the KSU block to wrap up the 30-28 game-one victory.

“We came out really anxious, and I’m not sure why,” NU Coach John Cook said. “Sometimes, that just happens. But Kansas State came out and served us really tough. They had us on our heels. They had a great game plan, and they competed well. They really made us work tonight.”

In game two, the Wildcats slowly chipped away at Nebraska’s four-point lead, finally tying it on a thunderous kill by Wegner. Two NU hitting errors, two more kills by Wegner and a block of Metcalf gave KSU its largest lead of the game at 23-19. The Huskers tied it at 26 with a tip by Kropp, then took the lead when Anna Schrad blocked Lauren Goehring. A block by Metcalf and Kropp and a KSU hitting error forced a game-point situation. Wegner held the Huskers off with a kill, but Nebraska took the 30-26 game two win on the ensuing possession when Schrad slammed a kill off the block. Pilakowski served the final seven points for the Huskers.

The Huskers were never seriously threatened in the third. NU led 12-5 early, reeling off five straight points with Cepero behind the service line. Nebraska took its biggest lead of the game at 26-16, after a block by Kropp. NU later took the 30-20 third game win and the match on a block by Holmquist.

Nebraska returns to action Wednesday, Oct. 3, when it plays host to Missouri (10-2, 2-2) in a 7 p.m. match at the NU Coliseum. The contest will be televised live by NETV.

Source: University of Nebraska Athletic Dept.

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