Nebraska Volleyball’s Harper Murray hailed Bergen Reilly for giving her all in back-to-back matches, even when she was battling illness for a while. The Huskers suffered a heartbreak in the NCAA Regional Finals, succumbing to Texas A&M, which punched its first ticket to the Final Four.
Reilly led with 13 digs and Murray with 25 kills in the Elite Eight, but couldn’t make headway, missing out on a golden opportunity to achieve a unique record in the Championship round.
Nebraska Volleyball’s Harper Murray Commends Reilly For Going Out Of Her Way To Set For the Team
Murray and Reilly have often shown admiration for each other as they transitioned into becoming the most formidable players and leaders of the women’s volleyball program. Having carried the undefeated momentum alongside their teammates, they shone in the Regional Finals as well, all while Reilly struggled with health issues.
In a post-match media interaction, the outside hitter expressed her admiration for the setter and how she has managed to play so phenomenally despite challenges. She said:
“She’s not feeling her best, whatsoever. It’s hard to go into the locker room and see her feeling that way because I mean she’s such a big part of our team, and I don’t know how she did it, but she found a way to still make good decisions and get balls up on defense and set us. And that’s not easy.”
She also articulated her love for her fellow junior, and called her the best setter she had ever come across, saying:
“She’s the best setter I’ve ever played with and will probably ever play with. And the fact that she could go out there feeling as sick as she does and still work her butt off and play like that is it’s truly amazing.”
READ MORE: Bergen Reilly Explains The Grit That Separates Nebraska Volleyball From Everyone Else
The Huskers went 33-1 overall and won the outright Big Ten title with a 20‑0 record. It was the Big Red’s third consecutive Big Ten championship.
Reilly Won Big Ten Setter and Player of the Year Honors
Reilly’s efficiency at the net and defensive consistency helped propel her team into the record books. The setter claimed Big Ten Setter of the Week honors twice this season, pushing her career total to an impressive 11.
The setter also won the AVCA West Region Player of the Year honor. The 20-year-old became the first Nebraska player to earn Big Ten Player of the Year since 2013. She claimed her third consecutive Big Ten Setter of the Year award.
After the conference season and her string of achievements, Reilly expressed that the award will always be in honor of team efforts, and not individual. She also extended her thanks to her teammates and support staff for their contributions.
