University of Missouri
Nebraska
Tiger Volleyball Snaps Losing Skid to Nebraska
10/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2003
LINCOLN, Neb.-- - Mizzou volleyball picked up its biggest win in recent memory defeating No. 8 Nebraska 3-2 (28-30, 24-30, 30-25, 31-29, 15-9) on Wednesday in Lincoln, Neb. The win was the first for Missouri over Nebraska since 1982, snapping a streak of 44 straight losses to the Huskers and ends a 24-match losing streak for MU in Lincoln dating back to 1977.
A strong defensive performance led the Tigers to the comeback win, as they totaled a season-high 106 digs. Three MU players had at least 20 digs and two more recorded at least 15. Juliana Godoi led MU as she tied a career high with 22 digs. Jessica Vander Kooi set a career high and Shen Danru tied her career high with 20 digs each. Sara Parks added 17 and Lindsey Hunter had 15.
Danru added 22 kills for her ninth double-double of the year and Hunter had 41 assists to pick up her third double-double this season.
The Huskers took the first game of the match, but not without a fight from Mizzou. Nebraska tried several times to put away the Tigers, but each time found Missouri making a comeback. Down 8-15, MU won four straight points and took eight of the next 10 points to cut the NU lead to one. Later in the game, with Nebraska leading 23-18, Missouri put together a 6-1 run to tie the score at 24. The two teams split the next eight points and were tied at 28, before the Cornhuskers won the final two points to claim the opening-game victory.
Nebraska took the lead early in game two and extended it to as much as 11. Mizzou attempted a late comeback, using a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 26-21. However, Nebraska regained control of the game and extended its lead in the match to 2-0 heading into the intermission.
For the first time since 2001 and for only the third time since 1984, Missouri won a game against the Huskers, by taking game three 30-25. MU used runs of 5-0 and 7-0 to build a lead of as much as 10 over the Huskers. A late rally by Nebraska was not enough to catch Mizzou, forcing a game four.
The Tigers then sent it to a fifth game by winning a second game over Nebraska for the first time since 1998 and for only the second time 1984. Mizzou led 27-21 before the Huskers won six straight points to tie the score. The two teams went back-and-forth until a Lisa Boyd kill gave Mizzou the game-winning point and tied the match at two.
Missouri, with its momentum for winning games three and four, jumped out to a 9-1 lead to start the fifth game. Nebraska attempted to climb back into the game, but each time, the Tigers were able to put an end to the Husker charge and eventually put the match away with a 15-9 game-five win.
MU improves to 14-4 on the year and 7-2 in the Big 12 Conference. Nebraska, who lost to Kansas State at home last Saturday and has lost two in a row at home for the first time since 1999, drops to 15-3 overall and 7-2 in the conference.
Mizzou is off this weekend and will return to action at 7 p.m. next Wednesday at the Hearnes Center against Colorado.
