[Husker] Husker Volleyball

[RMiller]

  I saw the match on CSTV. From the camera angles you couldn't see too well, but Nebraska was really screwing up their block that 2nd game. The middles weren't closing very well and the outsides were putting up goal posts. Credit UCLA for severely abusing the breakdown. NU's defense couldn't do anything with the balls spraying everywhere. The good news was after NU fixed their block and weren't getting tooled, their defense played exceptionally well. This was the best defense I've seen them play against a top opponent. Usually they win by outblocking a top team. Against UCLA, they weren't any better blocking - in fact I'd say UCLA is a better softblocking team, but NU still won by a comfortable margin. A good sign indeed.
   
    Houghtelling still has work to do offensively. She only was able to spank it a couple times and these were dug. Pre-injury, she proved to be a pretty reliable sideout as she could crush the ball. That was not even close to the case against UCLA. She hit only .158 in the match. She got blocked quite a bit and in the end had to dink way more than her previous blast away approach. Her timing is off as she's rushing the approach. Her blocking wasn't very effective either. The great news is that her back court defense was excellent. With Jordan looking very strong at OH, the team can carry her offensively. I don't know if she'll ever get the thunder back.
   
    Licht has potential, but she looks like a freshman. It's very obvious why Cook has said she needs to work on her consistency. How about that down the line hammer on the right side in game 1 though? That's potential to work with! I don't understand why, but the stats said she had 0 kills on the night.
  Roy

  
Kim Leighton <kleighton at neb.rr.com> wrote:
  The new freshman, Lindsay Licht is going to be amazing--great opportunity
for her to get in some shots last night.

That being said, the second game against UCLA was a nightmare--they were out
of synch most of the game and got hammered in the corner of the back court
repeatedly. Obviously made great adjustments at the break because they came
back smokin'. 

Skylar, your thoughts on Christina Houghtaling? I don't think she's anywhere
near her previous form that led to being named National Player of the Year.
Looked like she couldn't follow through the entire shoulder rotation to
bring the ball down.