Nebraska Volleyball is just a handful of strides away from clinching the ultimate glory in the 2025 season by clinching the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships, which would be the side’s first national title since 2017. The team’s next challenge in this journey is Kansas, as the Huskers face off in the NCAA Round of 16 on Dec. 12 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
In the Days leading up to the match, Kansas head coach Matt Ulmer shared his thoughts on his team facing a power-packed Nebraska side, which has yet to be defeated this season.
Kansas Head Coach Matt Ulmer Stresses Hard Work As Key to Beating Nebraska Volleyball
Ulmer’s team has performed decently throughout the season, boasting a 24-10 overall record. Kansas achieved a convincing 3-1 victory over Miami (Florida) in their second-round match; however, going up against the No. 1-ranked Nebraska in their home arena will require much more than what they brought to the game against Miami.
Speaking of the encounter in a recent conversation, Kansas coach Ulmer stated that his team is concentrating on the hard work, rather than worrying about the results. He said, “You can’t predict what’s going to happen, but you can control your effort, and you can control your mindset. If you do those two things, you have a chance; if you don’t do those things, you have no chance.”
Powered by juniors Harper Murray and Andi Jackson, the Nebraska Huskers defeated Kansas State in their second-round match in a clinical 3-0 fashion and are the favorites going into the next clash. However, Kansas is not the underdog, especially with some of its players, such as Flomarie Heredia Colon, averaging 6.333 kills per set in the current season.
What Did Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly Say about Her Team’s Performance Against Kansas State?
Nebraska’s dominance throughout the season was clearly evident in their second-round game against Kansas State, where the Huskers secured a convincing win despite a strong performance from the opposition. Players like Aniya Clinton and Reagan Fox secured nine and five kills, respectively, and constantly challenged the Huskers’ defense.
Speaking at the post-match conference, Kelly highlighted her team’s impressive performance against a challenging team, stating, “I thought it was a really good match. Kansas State played great, they really challenged us in a lot of areas, and thought this was one of the first matches in a while where we had to get it out with our serve, pass, and floor defense, which is kind of like classic Nebraska Volleyball.
Kelly further emphasized her players’ on-court calmness during the match, which helped the team in the high-pressure game. She added, “I felt like we handled it really well, we stayed, kept our composure, stayed really steady, and finished the match with our best volleyball tonight.”
Further in the conversation, Kelly acknowledged Kansas State’s blocking, which consistently challenged the Huskers’ offensive line throughout the game.
