Nebraska Volleyball Survives Top-10 Scare, Fends Off Purdue in Five Sets

Originally posted on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI
By Enrique Alvarez-Clary | Last updated Oct 12, 2024 12:03 AM ET

Big Ten. Top 10. Five sets.

No. 2 Nebraska (15-1) scratched and clawed their way to a five set victory over No. 10 Purdue (12-4) in front of a raucous Bob Devaney Sports Center crowd Friday evening. The Huskers remain undefeated in Big Ten play with a 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 25-22, 17-15 win over the Boilermakers.

A light show between the second and third set was, despite the pageantry, was a distant second to the amazing play on the court.

Everybody’s doing light shows nowadays pic.twitter.com/qO1r3zl6HL
— Enrique Alvarez-Clary (@RadioRicoAC) October 12, 2024

Bergen Reilly guided the Huskers to a .242 hitting percentage as she dished out 60 assists and added to her double-double count with 17 digs.

Merritt Beason led the team in kills as she collected 22 to go along with eight digs and three blocks. Harper Murray had clutch kill after clutch kill as she added 17 to the Nebraska tally.

The Husker middles were active early but slowed down as the match went on. Andi Jackson had 14 kills on the night while Rebekah Allick added 10.

Purdue found something that worked and kept going to it as Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine carried the load for the Boilermaker offense with 26 and 22 kills, respectfully. Raven Colvin only added five kills for Purdue but did more than enough defensively as she put up a wall at the net with 11 blocks on the night.

Both teams hit over .400, with Purdue hitting .481 and Nebraska .458.

Up next for Nebraska, a second match in as many days as they welcome the Rutgers Scarlet Knights into Lincoln Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT.