The Wisconsin volleyball head coach, Kelly Sheffield, expressed his admiration for Nebraska Volleyball’s offensive efficiency during their Halloween night matchup. He praised the Huskers’ attackers for hitting .349 despite low passing numbers around 1.7, a figure that would normally limit a team’s offensive success.
The Badgers fell to the Huskers 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-13), which was Nebraska’s 12th straight win of the season.
What Did the Wisconsin Coach Say About Their Game Against Nebraska Volleyball?
Besides praising Nebraska’s offense, Sheffield called this the best Nebraska team he has ever seen in terms of offense. In a post-match interview with the media, he opened up on Wisconsin’s performance against the Huskers and made his feelings clear about what separated the two teams that night, adding:
“You’re not expecting a team to hit .349 when they’re passing at around a 1.7 average. That’s a real credit to the skill of their attackers. I thought we served really well and put a lot of pressure from behind the service line in several rotations.”
“When you get a team like Nebraska passing in that 1.7–1.8 range, which I’m sure is one of their lowest of the season, and they still hit for that kind of percentage, that’s remarkable. I can’t imagine there being many teams that could do that..Offensively, this Nebraska team is just outstanding. You can see it in the numbers; it’s the best offensive Nebraska team we’ve faced. Even when you manage to score on them, their ability to side out quickly is really impressive.”
Moreover, he spoke highly of Nebraska setter Bergen Reilly’s impact, calling her ‘probably the best player in the conference,’ and crediting her for helping the Huskers win long rallies even when out of system. Known for winning the Big Ten Setter of the Year twice in 2023 and 2024, Reilly continues to impress this season, having surpassed her coach, Dani Busboom Kelly, on Nebraska’s rally-scoring era assists list to move into the top five.
While Wisconsin have stumbled in four of their 15 outings this season, Nebraska have been flawless, remaining undefeated with 21 straight victories.
Nebraska Coach Dani Busboom Kelly Reflects on Her Team’s Match Against Wisconsin
Dani Busboom Kelly reflected on how the team had a shaky beginning in their match against Wisconsin. However, she acknowledged that the team didn’t panic and stuck to their style of playing, which they have followed so far this season. In a post-match interview, Kelly stated:
“It was an interesting match to me because I thought we started out a little bit shaky, and I thought Bergen [Reilly] didn’t have her best start. Obviously, playing Mimi [Colyer] is really, really tough. We just stayed with what has made us great all year, and stuck with it, and it finally started clicking.”
She further expressed pride in the team’s defensive effort, noting how their blocking helped stabilize the match. The team is next set to face Oregon on November 2 at their home arena, the Bob Devaney Sports Center, in Lincoln, Nebraska.