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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 1994)
NU hopes to have healthy team for match with Duke Huskers must have strong defense to get past Blue Devils, coach says By Mitch Sherman Senior Reporter The Nebraska volleyball team got a chance to see what its reserves had to offer on Wednes day night in Columbia. Mo. The Huskers not only were without the ser vices of starting middle blocker Jen McFadden (back spasms), starting outside hitter Billie Winsett (strep throat) and specialist Stephanie Clerc (back spasms). Coach Terry Pettit also stayed behind because of a stomach ailment. Nebraska, 12-0, hopes to have everyone back when it plays host to 8-1 Duke at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Saturday night at the Uni versity of Nebraska Coliseum. Assistant coach Cathy Noth, 1-0 as a head coach after Wednesday’s 15-1, 15-4, 15-9 sweep of the Tigers, said Winsett would re turn, but McFadden’s status was yet to be de termined. “McFadden is still wait and see,” Noth said. “We’ll see how she is feeling and decide be fore the match.” Duke travels to Lincoln after its first loss of the season, a five-game defeat at the hands of North Carolina on Tuesday night in Durham, N.C. The defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions return four starters from a team that finished 1993 with a 30-3 record and lost to Texas in the NCAA tournament. “They are a top 20 team,” Noth said of Duke, ranked 18th in the latest Volleyball Monthly poll. “When we are playing a top 20 team, we need to stop their offense. “But it is still important for us to organize our offense and focus on our level of play. We want to continue to work on getting better each week." The Blue Devils, coached by Jon Wilson, have faced Nebraska only once in school his tory, beating the Huskers in 1976. “Their coach is a very’ disciplined and re spectable coach,” Noth said. “I am sure their team is a reflection of him.” Less than one week after senior Peggy Meyer filled in for McFadden and set a career high with 17 kills against New Mexico, Kate Crnich set a record of her own filling in for Winsett. Crnich recorded a personal-best eight kills against the Tigers. Noth said the 5-foot-11 outside hitter from River Forest, III., gave the Huskers a needed lift. “Kate Crnich came in and did a good job,” she said. “When we have girls go down with injuries, the rest of the team has to come in and step it up a notch.” Noth said she enjoyed her one-game stint as coach, even though she knew it was short lived. “That was a great opportunity,” she said, “and it’s something that is not going to come around real often.” NOTE: The first 100 students to enter the Coliseum for Friday night’s match will receive a free T shirt. Any student who wears the shirt back for Saturday’s match will be given a coupon for a free hot dog and pop. i - Duke coach says Nebraska crowd will be motivation, not intimidation By Clay Short Staff Reporter The Duke volleyball team lost its first match of the season Tuesday night to North Caro lina. And even though the Blue Devils lost, Duke coach Jon Wilson said his team was up to the task of playing No. 2 Nebraska. “Coming off of a loss has traditionally been successful with this team,” Blue Devil coach Jon Wilson said. “For the last four or five years, they have responded to a loss by coming back strong, and that is what we are looking for this weekend.” Wilson knows what caliber of team will face Duke at the NU Coliseum tonight and Satur day night. “Nebraska has nothing to exploit,” Wilson said. “They really don’t have a weak spot where you can consistently get points. “They are a very solid team physically, and I expect a long, hard battle.” This is the maiden voyage for the Blue Dev ils to the NU Coliseum, where the Comhuskers haven’t lost in 31 matches. “We expect large, hostile crowds. But there are two ways to look at a hostile crowd. It can intimidate or it can motivate,” Wilson said. “We look for it to motivate us.” Duke is 8-1 on the season and ranked No. 18 in the Volleyball Monthly poll. “We have a good team, and we are going to be competitive,” Wilson said. “They can humble a lot of good teams this year.” Wilson said he was hoping his team could ‘We expect large, hostile crowds. But there are two ways to look at a hostile crowd. It can intimidate or it can motivate. ” m JON WILSON Duke volleyball coach humble undefeated Nebraska. He said the pres sure would be on the Huskers to maintain their perfect record of 12-0. Duke is no stranger to a perfect record ei ther. Wilson also can relate to the undefeated season that the Huskers are having. His team was undefeated until Tuesday night’s loss to North Carolina. “Definitely there is a lot of pressure to stay perfect. Coaches always have people pressing them to stay undefeated, but sooner or later somebody is going to knock you off,” he said. “We would rather bounce back from our first loss against a team that isn’t ranked No. 2 in the nation, but we don’t have a choice,” Wil son said. “It could be easier." Duke has won the only contest between the two schools, and that was almost 20 years ago in 1976, when the Devils beat the Huskers in two games. MNEBRASKA 1# Softball NEBRASKA ALUMNI GAME SUNDAY / Oct. 2 n 1 p.m. \ NU Softball Complex 14th & W Free admission ..— NEBRASKA Volleyball NU vs. DUKE FRIDAY Sept. 30 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY I Oct. i _y 7:30 p.m. f/rsf 100 students receive a FREE T-shirt Friday! Nebraska Coliseum Sf“c'9n,s ^turning Saturday wearing T-shirt ADMISSION reCe,V® ^ h0td°g & C°ke! $6 - Reserved seating $4 - Adults general admission $2 - Non-UNL students general admission 1/2 price adult general admission w/ Sat. football ticket stub Free - Full time UNL students with photo I.D. ^ For ticket informati r Corporate Sponsor: Osborne Continued from Page 9 not try to duplicate. “It was not the style of play that we play,” Osborne said, “which is running the ball and controlling the ball. I think Utah had some good for tune. I don’t think you can take that score as totally indicative of the strength of the two teams.” Brook Berringer, making his first start at quarterback for Nebraska, will not be the only first-time quarterback on the field Saturday. In fact, Berringer will be the most experi enced quarterback in action on Sat urday. Redshirt freshman Jeremy Dombek, who completed eight of 23 passes for 102 yards against Utah, will start for the first time as a Cow boy. Leading the Wyoming charge will be running back Ryan Christopherson, who ranks fifth in the nation in rushing, averaging 152 yards per game. The 6-foot, 241-pound senior trails Nebraska sophomore l-back Lawrence Phillips by nine yards on the season, although he has carried the ball 37 more times. Phillips, who is the nation’s third-leading rusher, said he didn’t look at the game as a matchup of the two backs. Wyoming safety Lee Vaughn said the Cowboys knew that the Nebraska offense still was potent, even with out Frazier. “As far as the defensive backs are concerned,” Vaughn said, “we know we will probably have to worry about the pass a little more. I think the run is still our main concern, but I don’t think we’ll have to concentrate on the run as we would if Frazier was in there.” Wyoming may have extra incen tive to play well, Osborne said. Seven Wyoming players, including five starters, hail from Nebraska. “There’s always a certain amount of motivation there from the Ne braska players,” Osborne said. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA gloom*. dUi & cfttiunni to i&t dmlinnlat D(loC-@f f! <£ut you. at tJLz. Zanyuot <^V[ay f*iA & J3il% Coupon For 10% OFF ► , any purchase at The best selection in Sport Cards, Memorabilia, Card Supplies and More! 233 N. 48th St. Suite R Expires 10/7/94 m-mmmmmmmmmmmmwmmmmmd Daily Nebraskan staffers (9-1 last week, 26-4 season) pick the winners of the ten major college football games this weekend, with winners in bold: Iowa State at Oklahoma North Texas at Oklahoma State Colorado at Texas West Virginia at Missouri Stanford at Notre Dame Georgia at Alabama UCLA at Washington Florida at Mississippi Virginia Tech at Syracuse Pick the score- Wyoming 14 at Nebraska 47 ON graphic firt Ruction To Benefit Tifereth Israel Synagogue 3219 Sheridan Blvd. Sunday, October 2, 1994 KlSbs Preview wmcomtt 7 00 D m. 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