Three Thoughts on Nebraska's Alumni Match

If she doesn’t get at least some interest-seeking calls from an MLV or LOVB team looking for setter depth, you’d be surprised. She was better than some other veteran setters in the nascent U.S. pro scene last year.

But from Jordan Larson showing off her guile, Lauren Stivrins punishing balls on slide attacks, and Ally Batenhorst and Lindsay Krause recapturing some of their 2021 NCAA tournament magic with 25 combined kills, the alumni did nothing to dishonor themselves Saturday.

Nebraska even brought back former public address announcer Steven Johnsen, and his wife and spotter, Vickie, for the match. The Johnsens did Nebraska matches for years, retiring in 2015.

Husker veterans still core of the team

With eight newcomers, it’s easy to get infatuated with Nebraska’s new faces. And while that talent is tantalizing, on Saturday, Nebraska’s vets demonstrated they are still the core of the team.

Harper Murray led the current Huskers with 12 kills and hit .476. Her one block? A showstopper. She stuffed Larson to give her team an 18-17 lead in Game 4.

All-American junior middle blocker Andi Jackson went swing-for-swing with Stivrins as the two treated a sold-out Devaney Center crowd to a duel of the slides.

But Jackson’s biggest impact might’ve come from the service line. With the alumni leading 14-8, making a decisive fifth set seem inevitable, Jackson uncorked a service run that included back-to-back aces that pulled the Huskers within 14-12.

Jackson fired a third ace in her next trip to the service line to put the Huskers up 23-21, and the current club held off the alumni in four sets. Jackson added 11 kills and three blocks.

If the scrimmage is any indication, Bergen Reilly has secured the starting setter job (if it was ever in jeopardy in the first place), playing the majority of the match. Reilly remains solid at locating the ball; however, she excels as an all-around player, especially as a back-row defender. I think that gives her the edge.

Freshman Campbell Flynn saw time in each frame, but ran the Husker offense in Game 3, which the Alumni won, holding the current Huskers to .065 hitting.

Laney Choboy also started at libero, though sophomore Olivia Mauch was excellent with nine digs, tying Jordan Larson for match high.

Scrimmage may have finalized starting lineup

Italian freshman Virginia Adriano only played the first two sets, but was arguably the Huskers’ best attacker in the first half of the match, putting away six kills without an error on 10 swings. 

If the match had gone to a fifth set, would Dani Busboom Kelly have brought her back in? 

Baylor transfer Allie Sczech had a few nice swings, but ended with three kills on 11 swings.

The only starting position I don’t have a firm handle on is the second outside hitter spot. Taylor Landfair started and put away a jaw-dropping, sharp-angle shot, but only had four attempts. She was also targeted by the alumni team right away in back-row defense and serve receive. 

Landfair has a serve that can frustrate opposing passers, but she’s a liability in the back row otherwise. 

Freshman Teraya Sigler, in contrast, got 25 swings. She only hit .040 with six kills and five errors, but played well in the back row with seven digs and a team-high 20 serve receptions. She added three blocks. 

Maybe Nebraska goes with the freshman to start and saves Landfair for a game-changing hitter off the bench?

A word about the middles. Jackson and Rebekah Allick are the starters, no question. And there might not be a better starting middle duo in the country. But, while freshman Kenna Cogill had a coming-out party in the Red-White scrimmage last week, Saturday it was her roommate Manaia Ogbechie’s turn to shine. 

Ogbechie had six kills on nine swings, hitting .556. Her beyond-her-years blocking aplomb was on display too with three stuffs. Whenever she gets her turn, she’s going to be outstanding.

Next up for Nebraska is a regular-season opener against Pitt in the AVCA First Serve Showcase. That match is Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena, the same location as a match against Stanford two days later.

Nebraska Volleyball 2025 Schedule

• Aug. 9 Red 3, White 1
• Aug. 16 Nebraska 3, Alumni 1
• Aug. 22 vs. Pittsburgh (AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena) 6 p.m. FOX
• Aug. 24 vs. Stanford (AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena) 2:30 p.m. ESPN
• Aug. 29 at Lipscomb 6 p.m. ESPN+
• Aug. 31 vs. Kentucky (Broadway Block Party in Nashville) 11 a.m. ABC
• Sept. 5 vs. Wright State 7 p.m.
• Sept. 7 vs. California 1 p.m. BTN
• Sept. 12 vs. Utah 6 p.m. FS1
• Sept. 13 vs. Grand Canyon 6 p.m. NPM
• Sept. 16 at Creighton 6:30 p.m. FS1
• Sept. 20 vs. Arizona BTN
• Sept. 24 vs Michigan 6 p.m. BTN
• Sept. 27 vs. Maryland 3 p.m. NPM
• Oct. 3 at Penn State 7 p.m. FOX
• Oct. 4 at Rutgers
• Oct. 10 vs. Washington 8 p.m. BTN
• Oct. 12 at Purdue
• Oct. 17 at Michigan State
• Oct. 19 at Michigan 1 p.m.
• Oct. 24 vs. Northwestern NPM
• Oct. 25 vs. Michigan State 7:30 p.m. BTN
• Oct. 31 at Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTN
• Nov. 2 vs. Oregon 1 p.m. BTN
• Nov. 6 vs. Illinois 7 p.m. FS1
• Nov. 8 at Minnesota 2:30 p.m. NBC
• Nov. 14 at UCLA BTN
• Nov. 16 at USC 2 p.m. B1G+
• Nov. 20 vs. Iowa FS1
• Nov. 22 at Indiana
• Nov. 28 vs. Penn State 5:30 p.m. BTN
• Nov. 29 vs. Ohio State BTN

Home matches are bolded. All times central.