On Saturday, October 21, 2023, the top two teams in college volleyball competed against each other in a very tense and exciting game. Husker fans, whether in their living rooms or in The Devaney Center, were all screaming as the Huskers won the winning point due to a net violation on Wisconsin’s team. Volleyball games are always action packed and fierce, but this particular game set that bar up farther than any other games.
Wisconsin and Nebraska both previously had a win-loss record of 18-0. At this game, one of them had to lose. Nebraska started off very strong, winning the first set. But Wisconsin won the second and the third. Fans were screaming and booing Wisconsin, not wanting another loss to the Badgers.
“We weren’t playing the best,” junior Addison Shirk said. “But the team had that fight that I saw.”
After the first three sets, the stadium was still cheering and keeping up the immaculate vibes. When the fourth set came to an ending, the two teams were both two and two. The fifth and final set determined who was coming out on top of this rivalry. Husker fans were seen standing on their feet for the rest of the game, watching in quiet excitement as not to mess up any of the Husker players.
“It was very nerve-racking at first,” sophomore Emma Eilers said. “But once we started getting ahead of them by points, then I started to believe they could actually do it.”
After five vigorous sets of back and forth action and challenges, Nebraska celebrated their victory as the new number one team in the nation. Coming out on top had everyone in the audience, including the head coach, John Cook, celebrating with the student section on the court.
