Win sends Huskers to regional semifinals
, _ Josh Wolfe/DN
Katie Jahnke looks on while Angie Oxley makes a dig for the Huskers on Friday night.
After tricky start, NU sweeps San Diego
By John Gaskins
Staff writer
In true Terry Pettit fashion, the 23-year
Nebraska volleyball coach answered a question
Friday night about his coaching future by focusing
on the present
Pettit was asked if he was worried in the fust
game of the Huskers’ matchup with No. 25 San
Diego, when NU found itself down 12-7, that
Friday's match might be his last
He replied, “I hope not,” to laiighter from
inquiring reporters.
The Huskers went on to defeat the Toreros 15
12, 15-8, and 15-9 in the second round of the
NCAA toumamentPettit quickly jumped off the
retirement subject to rave about junior reserve
right-side hitter Katie Jahnke.
If it had been Pettit’s last match at the NU
I Nebraska IS 15 15
I San Diego 12 8 9~
Coliseum, in front of 3,137 fans, he would have
gone out with a win.
Nebraska got help from Jahnke, who came off
the bench in the first game to relieve freshman
Greichaly Cepero on the right side. She provided
career highs in digs (11) and Mocks (seven) to help
fend off the Toreros’ early scare and advance the
10*-ranked and fourth-seeded Comhuskers to the
Pacific Regional semifinals, where they will play
UC-Santa Barbara on Thursday at 7p.m.
“She’s as good of a right-side Mocker as we’ve
had,” Pettit said. “Not many teams can go to some
thing like that and get that type of player off the
bench. Everyone’s confident that when she comes
in, she’ll raise the level of play up a notch.”
Please see VOLLEY on 11
Huskers brace for a competitive bracket
By Brian Christopherson
Staff writer
Nebraska Head Coach Terry Pettit has molded
his volleyball team to be hitting on all cylinders
Come tourney time.
NU dominated San Diego in Friday’s second
round, but Pettit will know exactly how many
cylinders his young team has this week at the
Sweet 16 in Palo Alto, Calif.
The Huskers will come in as the underdog in
next Thursday’s game against a second-seeded UC
Santa Barbara (28-5) team that is ranked seventh
in the country.
“It’s a war now,” Pettit said. “I think we’re in a
very competitive bracket, and there will be some
great teams at that regional.”
However, UCSB is coming off a four-game
struggle in its second-round 15-5, 15-11,14-16,
15-5 win over Loyola Marymount
Meanwhile, the Huskers are 27-5 now, with
12-straight victories, and they haven’t tasted
defeat since a loss to Texas on Oct 23.
Despite not being able to host the regional
final this year, Pettit feels very comfortable in tak
ing this team on the road.
“We’ve been a great team on the road this
year,” Pettit said. “The only matches we’ve lost on
the road this year have been by two points in game
five.”
If Nebraska does take out Santa Barbara, the
Huskers will face either Arizona or No. 2-ranked
team and host Stanford one night later.
Stanford is 28-2 this season, and the Arizona
Wildcats proved to be no slouch themselves by
whipping Texas in three games in the second
round in Austin.
Please see TOURNEY on 11
bochran hel i split
- * * _...
By Joshua Camenzind
Staff writer
It was not exactly what the Nebraska
basketball team had in mind at the start
of the season when it saw the Ameritas
Classic schedule.
The Comhuskers had won 22 games
1 in a row and the 11 previous titles in its
own tournament at the Bob Devaney
Sports Center, dating back to a loss to
Ohio State in the inaugural champi
onship game.
But for a team struggling to find
themselves, a consolation game win
over Monmouth (NJ.) College will have
to do.The Huskers disposed of the
Hawks on Saturday night, 63-47, after
being embarrassed at home Friday by
eventual tournament champion, Western
Carolina, 74-72.
NU Coach Danny Nee said the
Mpnm'outh win came down to one
"(fetemining factor.
“It came down to pride,” Nee said.
“We didn’t want to lose two-straight
home games.
“This is a big step forward because
we could have easify lost We know we
A lot of guys did enough things right;
especially from thefhee-thrvw line, for us to
win”
Danny Nee
NU coach
got some problems, so we need to get
them fixed, but we also know we need a
lot of guys playing well. Today a lot of
guys did enough things right, especially
from the free-throw line, for us to win.”
After yet another slow start pro
duced a 23-14 Hawk lead with seven
minutes, 50 seconds remaining in die
first half, NU decided to pick up die
defensive intensity. Monmouth would
not score again before halftime as
Nebraska took a 26-23 lead at the break,
r -,i, Monmouth shot only 36 percent in
the first half but was 5 for 14 from
beyond the arc, three of which came
from forward Quin Hayes. The Huskers
picked up their defensive intensity in the
second period and again limited die
Hamits to 36 percent shooting.
“I thought we played real solid
I Nebraska63
Monmouth College 47
defense in the half court,” Nee said. “We
took away 3-point shots, didn’t get beat
back door, but most of the time we
played good defense.”
But the difference after halftime
came down to free throws. NU made 19
on the game, while MU was held to
three.
Forward Steffon Bradford, who
came off the bench, led the Huskere with
18 points and 11 rebounds, and was 8 of
10 from the line. Bradford struggled
over Thanksgiving at the Hoop and Quill
Classic, and Louis Truscott started both
games of the Ameritas Classic in his
Pleas&see HUSKERS on 11
Snyder, Vering roll
again as Huskers win
■ NU took first place in
Pennsylvania, and an NU
player was named the tour
ney’s outstanding wrestler.
From, staff reports
Placing six wrestlers in final
matches, eighth-ranked Nebraska
took first place at the Billy Sheridan
Invitational Saturday in Bethlehem,
Pa.
Bryan Snyder, No. 3 in the nation
in his class, was named Outstanding
Wrestler for the tournament while
taking the 157-pound title. Snyder,
the No. 1 seed, was a major decision
winner over Rider’s Nick
Harrington.
Fellow team captain Brad Vering
picked up two pins, the fastest com
ing in 37 seconds in the first round
against Brian McTigue of East
Strodusburg. Vering won his second
tournament of the year, taking the
197-pound crown.
Todd Beckerman, at 133 pounds,
was the other Comhusker to capture
an individual title.
Joe Henson (149), Ati Conner
(174) and Charles McTorry (184) all
earned second place in their respec
tive brackets.
Redshirt freshman Justin Flores
returned from early season knee
surgery and placed third at 141
pounds after his first collegiate
wrestling matches.
Assistant Coach Mark Cody said
before the invite that it was important '
to continue the early season success
and gain some confidence going into
the thick of the season schedule.
“We won the championship by
scoring bonus points by the guys
going after pins, major decisions and
technical falls,” Head Coach Tim
Neumann said.“That is what a veter
an team does to win.”
