Nebraska continued its flawless campaign with a commanding 3-0 sweep over Michigan State on Saturday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. In front of a raucous crowd of 8,496 fans, the Huskers dispatched the Spartans by set scores of 25-15, 25-15, and 25-18, improving their record to a pristine 20-0 overall and 10-0 in Big Ten play. This victory marked Nebraska’s 11th consecutive sweep and extended their streak of won sets to 34, tying program benchmarks from 2007 for both feats. Statistically, Nebraska overwhelmed Michigan State, racking up 53 kills to 27, 11 blocks to nine, and 46 digs to 27, while boasting a .382 hitting percentage against the Spartans’ .118. The Huskers also preserved their perfect 56-0 record this season when claiming the red zone first in a set, underscoring their relentless early-set dominance.
Nebraska’s depth shined brightly, with six players notching at least five kills in a balanced offensive display. Outside hitter Teraya Sigler paced the attack with nine kills, while Rebekah Allick and Harper Murray each contributed eight. Virginia Adriano and Andi Jackson added seven apiece, and Ogbechie rounded out the group with five. Setter Bergen Reilly was the engine, dishing out 37 assists, scooping eight digs, and chipping in five blocks; during the match, she surpassed Lauren Cook for fourth place in career assists in the rally-scoring era with 3,225. Defensively, Murray and Laney Choboy anchored the back row with 10 digs each, Jackson tallied five blocks, and Murray added four more. Bench sparks like Skyler Pierce, who delivered clutch kills, and Maisie Boesiger, whose 6-0 service run fueled the second set, highlighted the team’s versatility against a gritty Michigan State squad that slipped to 15-5 overall and 5-5 in conference.
The first two sets exemplified Nebraska’s explosive starts. In the opener, the Huskers surged to an 11-2 lead behind four kills from Sigler and two from Adriano, then unleashed a five-point Sigler serving run to balloon the margin. Murray’s trio of kills pushed it to 21-10, and Allick’s kill followed by a joint block with Murray sealed the 25-15 win. The second set flipped a brief 5-3 deficit into Huskers’ control via Jackson’s five-point serving spree, featuring Allick’s two kills and a block with Reilly. Back-to-back blocks involving Jackson, Reilly, and Sigler extended the edge, and Boesiger’s serving run—capped by Allick’s seventh kill of the set—clinched another 25-15 triumph. Michigan State showed fight but couldn’t match Nebraska’s precision and pressure.
The third set tested Nebraska’s resolve, as the Spartans bolted to a 6-3 advantage before the Huskers clawed back with three straight kills from Pierce, Sczech, and Ogbechie to snag a 10-9 lead. A Sczech-Ogbechie block and subsequent kills from Jackson and Sigler widened it to 15-11, with Reilly’s two kills forging an 18-14 cushion. Though Michigan State trimmed the gap to 18-16, Ogbechie’s back-to-back kills and Jackson’s efforts— including a kill and block with Allick—pushed match point. Murray’s kill set up the finish, and a Jackson-Reilly block ended it at 25-18. This resilience in the closest frame reinforced why Nebraska remains unbeaten.
With the sweep in the books, Nebraska eyes its next challenge: a Halloween road game against No. 12 Wisconsin on Friday at 8 p.m. CT.