Huskers Overpower the Hawkeyes   

Lincoln, Neb. - The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team (16-1, 9-0) made quick work of Iowa on Wednesday night, sweeping the Hawkeyes 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-11). With the victory, Nebraska remained undefeated in conference play.

Iowa hit .000 for the match, marking the lowest hitting percentage the Huskers have held an opponent to this season. Nebraska out-blocked the Hawkeyes 8-0, while notching a .302 hitting percentage for the match. NU also out-dug Iowa 63-45 and out-blocked the Hawkeyes 8-1.

Gina Mancuso led NU on the night with 14 kills on 29 swings (.345), while Hannah Werth tabbed eight kills of her own. Lauren Cook tallied 32 assists with a season-high 16 digs. Werth had 15 digs, while Lara Dykstra totaled 14. The Huskers also notched five blocks each from Hayley Thramer and Morgan Broekhuis.

In the first set the Huskers fought off a scrappy Iowa squad to take an 11-8 lead on an error by the Hawkeyes. Iowa tied it back up at 11, but the Huskers posted seven unanswered points for a 17-11 lead on a kill by Werth. NU only allowed the Hawkeyes three more points in the set as the Huskers went on to take the first set 25-14.

Werth tabbed five kills in set one, while Cook and Mancuso both had three kills. The Huskers held Iowa to a .047 hitting and saw the Hawkeyes commit seven errors.

NU took a 10-6 lead early in the second set on a service error by Iowa. Nebraska jumped ahead 20-9 on a kill by Cook and held off the Hawkeyes to dominate and take the second set 25-14.  

Mancuso had a team-high six kills in the second set, as Werth had three of her own. Cook produced seven assists and Nebraska came out with 18 digs. Iowa hit .000 for the set and committed seven errors, three of which were service errors.

Nebraska overtook the Hawkeyes in the third set, catapulting themselves to a 7-0 lead on a kill by Mancuso. Iowa came back to close the gap at 12-8, but that just pushed Nebraska into a second gear. The Huskers again posted seven unanswered points to go up 19-8 with another kill by Mancuso. NU closed out the set in dominant form on a kill by Brigette Root, winning 25-11 and clinching the sweep over the Hawkeyes.

Mancuso notched five kills in the final set, with Broekhuis producing three of her own. Cook had 11 assists and Dykstra came out with eight digs. The Huskers hit .355 in the third set, while the Hawkeyes hit -.057.