Not actually, of course. We’re a little early for that. But that was the sentiment No. 5 Nebraska held onto ahead of its grueling week against No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 Louisville.
“We’ve had a couple good challenges already,” Nebraska sophomore setter Bergen Reilly said earlier this week. “We’ve had Kentucky, Creighton, Arizona State, SMU. All those games have been really good for us, but this is like Final Four week. We have two really good teams, two Top 5 teams that we get to play, so it’ll be a good challenge for us, regardless of outcome.”
Reilly was candid throughout Tuesday’s availability. She used the “regardless of outcome” phrase twice — knowing it was possible that Nebraska could lose either or both of these matches. She talked about how the Huskers, win or lose, were going to learn important things that’ll propel them through Big Ten play. She acknowledged that the early-season challenges have been good for them.
The five-set win over No. 9 Creighton? A turning point.
Whatever was to happen against No. 2 Stanford? A turning point.
Well, it sure was a turning point, all right.
Nebraska didn’t just beat Stanford. The Huskers dominated the Cardinal. From start to finish, outside of one slight hiccup in the second set that NU eventually overcame.
The Huskers served tough. They passed well. They chased loose balls over the scorer’s table and into the courtside row of photographers. The offense was distributed well.
The defense, phew.
Nebraska’s defense limited Stanford to a hitting percentage of .100. No, that’s not a typo. And at one point, the Cardinal was hitting in the minus before course-correcting.
No one keeps Stanford — a high-flying offense — to .100. No one. Before Wednesday, Stanford was hitting a collective .313. That was the fourth-best mark in the nation as of Tuesday night.
Even in Stanford’s season-ending loss to Texas last season in the Elite Eight, the Cardinal hit .278. Even in a sweep loss against Arizona State last season, Stanford hit .194. Even in Nebraska’s four-set victory in Palo Alto last year, Stanford hit .218.
Stanford doesn’t hit .100. Ever. The Cardinal finds a way.
But not on Wednesday.
The Huskers believed they could do it. In response to a question that asked if they envisioned limiting the Cardinal to .100, Nebraska sophomore middle Andi Jackson said that they did.
She, after a confident answer, backtracked a little.
“It was our goal,” Jackson said. “It was an incredible number. We train really hard and that’s what we train to do.”
This is what they train for. The high-stakes, high-pressure matches. The games where everything is on the line. The moments that everyone’s tuning in for. The road to the Final Four.
After a match like this, one that was so dominant for Nebraska from start to finish, what do they learn? What does it say about these Huskers? What did Wednesday night prove?
It says they’re a Final Four-caliber team.
It says they used the SMU loss as motivation. It says they used that as a turning point, just like they did with last year’s win over Stanford.
But don’t just take my word for it. These women believe it, too.
“We’re a Final Four team,” senior opposite Merritt Beason said. “We’re learning each and every match, and I think for us, it was like, â€We can go out there. We can stick to a game plan and we can execute.’ So for us, I’m sure this will be a huge confidence boost. But we have another Final Four match on Sunday. We also can’t get cocky and let it get to our head.”
That’s right. Celebrate this one. But there’s no riding too high heading into Louisville. Cardinals skipper Dani Busboom Kelly is going to have Louisville ready for this one.
No. 5 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Louisville.
Cook vs. his former player.
On ABC.
In what is sure to be the largest crowd to take in a Louisville volleyball match.
In the arena where either team could be vying for a national championship come December.
“This is a great preview and build-up for the Final Four,” Cook said. “... She’s got that program where they’ve got a shot to be in it.
Nebraska's Bergen Reilly (2) blocks the ball and scores past Stanford's Elia Rubin (13) next to Nebraska's Andi Jackson (15) on Wednesday at the Devaney Sports Center.