Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1992)
NU dominates Texas in tournament finals Nebraska middle blocker Kim Tonniges attempts a block in the Cornhuskers’ match against Texas Tech on Friday. r_— -. MURRAY GELL-MANN SPEAKS ON TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE WORLD LIED CENTER / Tuesday, November 10,1992 3:30 p.m. NO ADMISSION CHARGE !4 . r Huskerslookto WestCoastchallenge By John Adkisson Senior Editor On any oilier nighl, Nebraska volleyball coach Terry Petiii said Saturday, a match be tween his Cornhuskers and No. 12 Texas would be a “tossup.” But Saturday wasn't any other night. Nebraska pounded the Longhorns 15-2,15 11,15-2 before 3,572 fans at the NU Coliseum in the finals of the Arby’s Classic — one that was billed as a showdown between two of the nation’s top teams. Pettit, whose team improved to 18-2 w'ith the victory, attributed the blowout to Nebraska’s strong play. “It was just that everything w'cnt right for us,’’ Pettit said, “and it didn’t go w'cll for Texas.” The post-match statistics sheet reflected the Husker domination. Nebraska oulhilTcxas .319 to -.040, oulblockcd the Longhorns 13-4 and held a44-19 kill advantage in the match which lasted barely longer than an hour. Pettit said he wasn’t surprised with his team’s strong blocking performance against the Long horns -T- a team that had no starter under 6 feel tall. “We arc a great blocking team,” Pettit said. “I’m not going to hesitate about that. And we are close to being a great defensive team.” Nebraska rolled from thcoulscl, taking an 8 0 lead al ter only two Huskers had served. From there, the Huskers went on to quickly finish the first game, closing it on a kill by middle blocker Stephanie Thaler. “We didn’t start very well in any of the matches,” said Texas coach Mick Haley. “I think when you gel behind like that, you’re always playing without a full deck.” In the second game, Tcxascrascd an early 5 0 deficit and came back for a 9-7 lead. But a rally ignited by Nebraska jump-server Tami Thompson lied the game, and the Huskers closed with a 6-2 run. Haley said that his team’s failure to w in the second game was pivotal. “ I rca 11 y fc 111 i kc we needed to tak e one of the first two games to have a chance to win the match,” he said. In the third game, the Huskers finished the match much as they started it, taking a 7-0 lead and cruising the rest of the way. A kill by Eileen Shannon gave the Huskers their 16th straight Texas def. Wichita State rsJ / /Ji 15-7,15-6, 15-4 Nebraska def. Texas Tech y\ VY 15-7,15-9,15-7 A J Texas Tech def. Wichita State 15-13,15-2,15-9 (l)JD Nebraska def. Texas 15-2.15-11,15-2 £Y\\ Jennifer Cohn, Texas Tech fiiij Katy Jameyson, Texas M Errica Hibben, Texas Becky Sutter, Wichita State Stephanie Thater, Nebraska IQ Nikki Strieker, Nebraska Eileen Shannon, Nebraska* __• most valuable player Scott Maurer/DN win of the season and their third straight over Texas. Shannon, who finished with 11 kills, was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Thaler and Huskcr setter Nikki Strieker joined Shannon on the all-tournament team. “We’re going to play every game as intense as we can,” said Strieker, who finished with 39 set assists. “That was the goal tonight, and we did a good job of that.” The Texas match was the third in a siring of live straight for Nebraska against rated oppo nents. After beating Colorado and Texas Tech earlier in the week, Pettit said he was happy to sec his team dominate Texas. “This week was a challenging week,” he said. “What it says is that a major college athletic team had a challenge, and they met it.” Nebraska must now turn its sights to next weekend, and matchups in Los Angeles with No. 10 Southern California and No. 1 UCLA in the Big Eight-Pac 10 Challenge. Strieker said she had no doubt that the players will be focused. “I think we’re going to be more motivated for this tournament than anything wc’vc been motivated for this season,” she said. Shannon, Thater notch new records By Jeremy Fitzpatrick Staff Reporter__ Nebraska volleyball seniors Eileen Shannon and Stephanie Thaler both reached milestones in their careers over the weekend. Neither knew it at the time. Shannon became Nebraska’s all-time kill leader Friday against Texas Tech. Thaler be came the all-time block leader Saturday against Texas, besting Virginia Slahr’s career total of 555. Thaler said she was unaware that she had been approaching the blocking record. “I’m excited about it,” Thatcr said, “bul tonight when they announced it, I didn’t have a clue that I had it. “It was nice, bul honestly 1 didn’t even know.” Shannon said she was aware that she was closing in on the all-time kill record — previ ously held by Slahr with 1,395 — bul was unaware exactly how close she was. “Somebody had told me about a week ago that I was so many kills away,” she said. “I hadn’t really thought about it— I didn’t know I did it at the time.” Although Shannon finished the weekend with 1,413 career kills, breaking the record hadn’t been her goal, she said. “I think it’s a really great honor; I think’ it’s nice,’’ she said, "but I never thought about it, I never really planned on doing it; it just kind of Nebraska coach Terry Petlit was less re strained in his praise of Thaler and Shannon’s achievements. “They’re two great players,” he said. “They’re two All-American players.” He praised Shannon, who was named most valuable player of the Arby’s Classic tourna ment. “Shannon played a wonderful tournament,” Pettit said. “She’s one of the best players we’ve ever had here. “She hasn’t got the recognition that other people have because she does it so quietly and cllortlcssly,” he said. “But all you have to do is look at the names on the list she passed ~ they arc all All-Americans.” Pettit’s praise for T,hater was brief but to the point. ,*4' “Thaler is I lal-out the best middle blocker in the country,” he said. Breaking the records were major milestones for both players, Pettit said. “I think it would be as significant as if someone became the all-time rushing or all time passing leader m football,” he said. However, Pettit said both Thaler and Shan non had bigger achievements ahead of them. “This is a program of great players,” he said. ‘ The fact that they have the level they have indicates those are major milestones. “But they have other ones still ahead of them, he said. “II they are going to be com pletely satisfied with their careers, then they ■ iwiu mi> icam u.s iur as u can go. Miami climbs to top — again By The Associated Press Miami, which has lost the No. 1 ranking twice this season, regained the top spot again in Sunday’s Associated Press college football poll. The Hurricanes had the weekend off, but moved up a notch after thcn-No. 1 Washington lost to Arizona 16-3 Saturday. Miami is only the fourth team to be No. 1 three different times in one season. The others were Notre Dame (1947), Tennessee (1951) and Alabama (1962). The Hurricanes (8-0) received 61 first-place votes and 1,549 points from a nationwide panel of sporiswriicrs and broadcasters. The other first-place vote went to Alabama (9-0), which rose one spot to No. 2 alter beating LSU 31 -11. If Miami and Alabama go 11-0, they will meet in the Sugar Bowl for the national title. Miami is trying to become the first team to win consecutive championships since Alabama in 1978-79. “I feel pretty good, but the season isn’t over yet,” Miami receiver Horace Copeland said. ”Wc still have to play Syracuse and San Diego State. I’m not loo happy yet.” Miami lost its No. 1 ranking for the first time after struggling to beat Arizona 8-7 in late September. But Arizona helped the Hurricanes on Saturday by ending Washington’s 22-game winning streak.