Wednesday Morning Sports – 9/13/202

NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL BREAKS CARDINAL CURSE:

The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team toppled No. 5 Stanford, 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 19-25, 25-21) on Tuesday night at Maples Pavilion. 

It marked the Huskers’ first regular-season road win against a top-five team since 2017 (at No. 2 Penn State). Nebraska improved to 8-0 for the first time since 2016. Stanford fell to 6-2 on the season. 

Merritt Beason led the Big Red with 15 kills, while Harper Murray put down 12 kills. Bekka Allick had a career high eight blocks along with seven kills. 

The Huskers are off until Sunday when they host No. 21 Kentucky at 6:30 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. 

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL POST MATCH COMMENTS – JOHN COOK:

COOK – STRESSFUL MATCH; GOOD TO WIN AT STANFORD:

Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach John Cook joined the Husker Radio Network after the win at Stanford last night, saying his team handled the stress test well…

The Huskers are now 8-0 on the year after taking down the No. 5 team on the road last night.

COOK – CRITICAL TO WIN TWO POINT GAMES:

Husker Volleyball pulled off the biggest win of their young season so far, easing past the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal on the road Tuesday night. Head Coach John Cook added that it was critical to get early set wins…

Nebraska’s next test comes at home as the Big Red hosts No. 21 Kentucky on Sunday.

LOPER VOLLEYBALL MOVES UP TO No. 7 IN COACHES POLL:

The UNK Volleyball team continues to improve and creep up the AVCA Coaches Rankings, as the Lopers are now up to No. 7.

UNK moved from No. 10 and is now tied for seventh with Minnesota-Duluth. Both teams received 801 total points. UNK’s record stands at 9-0 while Minnesota-Duluth is 7-1.

Other MIAA foes in the Top 25 include: No. 15 Washburn (6-1) moving up from No. 17, Northwest Missouri State (5-3) slid to three spots to No. 18, and Central Oklahoma (8-1) earned enough recognition to sneak in at No. 25.

The Lopers hit the road this week taking on Washburn on Friday in Topeka and Emporia State on Saturday.

BRONCOS’ PEDROZA NAMED GPAC POTW:

Naomi Pedroza of Hastings College is this week’s GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Women’s Soccer Offensive Player-of-the-Week. 

Pedroza, a senior, from Hastings, Nebraska, scored two goals in the 6-2 win over Kansas Wesleyan and then netted the game winner against Tabor to help the Broncos to a 2-0 week. 

Hastings has started the non-conference undefeated for the first time since 2018.

KEARNEY SOFTBALL SWEPT AT NORFOLK:

The Norfolk Panthers swept the Kearney Bearcats by scores of 10-8 and 12-1 on Tuesday at Ta-Ha Zouka Park.

Kearney fell to 7-11 on the season. The Bearcats face Columbus Thursday at Bradshaw Park in Columbus. 

NEBRASKA FOOTBALL TUESDAY PRACTICE – PLAYERS:

FIDONE – GOOD TO GET PLAYING FOOTBALL AGAIN:

Tight end for Nebraska Thomas Fidone had his first receptions and touchdown of his career as a Husker last Saturday, as the Council Bluffs native stated at Tuesday’s media presser he’s excited to keep improving…

Fidone recorded his first touchdown reception in the final three minutes of the contest from Kearney Catholic alum Heinrich Haarberg.

FIDONE – DREAM COME TRUE IN MEMORIAL STADIUM:

Despite being on the Huskers roster for two years, tight end Thomas Fidone has not yet suited up at Memorial Stadium due to two sustained injuries his freshman and sophomore years. The Council Bluffs native was asked his feelings for the home opener on Saturday…

Fidone isn’t the only Husker celebrating the home opener on Saturday, as it’s also head coach Matt Rhule’s first game at Tom Osborne Field. 

ERVIN – FOUND GOOD RHYTHM AT COLORADO:

Nebraska running back Gabe Ervin spoke to the media on Tuesday and said he felt like his running game was getting into a good groove at Colorado…

Ervin toted the rock seventeen times for the Big Red on Saturday for 74 yards. 

ERVIN – FUMBLES WERE A SURPRISE IN WEEK TWO:

Missed snaps and fumbles were the biggest headache for Nebraska Football at Colorado in Week Two, as it came as a surprise to running back Gabe Ervin from their week in preparation…

The Huskers are 128th out of 131 FBS teams in turnover margin and have lost the most fumbles in the country so far this season.

LENHARDT – NO SURPRISE TO PLAYING TIME:

Freshman defensive end Cameron Lenhardt has been a significant difference maker for the Blackshirts in two games. For the New York native, he was not shocked to see his playing time early in his Big Red career…

The preseason freshman All-American recorded two sacks against Colorado.

LENHARDT – RECORD MEANS NOTHING SO FAR:

Freshman Cameron Lenhardt has had big moments so far in the early stretch of the Huskers season despite Nebraska’s 0-2 start. Lenhardt spoke at Tuesday’s presser saying that the team is still focused on their improvement…

Nebraska hopes to keep the freshman in rotation and active, as he has already notched two sacks on the season against Colorado.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCHEDULE:

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

Tampa Bay Rays @ Minnesota Twins – 12:10 PM

Chicago Cubs @ Colorado Rockies – 2:10 PM

Cleveland Guardians @ San Francisco Giants – 2:45 PM

Los Angeles Angels @ Seattle Mariners – 3:10 PM

St. Louis Cardinals @ Baltimore Orioles – 5:35 PM

Washington Nationals @ Pittsburgh Pirates – 5:35 PM

Atlanta Braves @ Philadelphia Phillies – 5:40 PM

Cincinnati Reds @ Detroit Tigers – 5:40 PM

Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays – 6:07 PM

Arizona Diamondbacks @ New York Mets – 6:10 PM

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox – 6:10 PM

Oakland Athletics @ Houston Astros – 6:10 PM

Kansas City Royals @ Chicago White Sox – 6:40 PM

Miami Marlins @ Milwaukee Brewers – 6:40 PM

San Diego Padres @ Los Angeles Dodgers – 9:10 PM

Buffalo County Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN BUFFALO COUNTY SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

High School Sports:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Golf: @ Hastings Invite @ Lochland Country Club – 
  • Boys Tennis: @ North Platte Dual @ Cody Park – KHS 12-0
  • Softball: @ Norfolk Doubleheader @ Ta-Ha Zoucha Complex
    • GAME 1: Norfolk 10-8 Kearney 
    • GAME 2: Norfolk 12-1 Kearney
  • Volleyball: @ Columbus – 
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Softball: @ Polk County Triangular
    • GAME 1: KCHS/Amherst 4-0 Gothenburg
• AMHERST:
  • Volleyball: @ SEM – Amherst 3-0 SEM
  • Softball: @ Polk County Triangular
    • GAME 1: KCHS/Amherst 4-0 Gothenburg
    • GAME 2: 
• PLEASANTON:.
  • Volleyball: @ Twin Loup Triangular:
    • GAME 1: Pleasanton 2-0 Twin Loup
    • GAME 2: Pleasanton 2-0 North Central (Bassett)
• GIBBON:
  • Volleyball: @ Central City Triangular (v. CC, Doniphan-Trumbull)
    • GAME 1: Central City 2-0 Gibbon
    • GAME 2: 
  • Volleyball: @ Wilcox-Hildreth Triangular
    • GAME 1: Axtell 2-1 Shelton
    • GAME 2: Shelton 2-0 Wilcox-Hildreth- 

College Athletics:

• NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS:
  • Volleyball: @ #5 Stanford @ Palo Alto, CA – Nebraska 3-1 Stanford

WEDNESDAY:

High School Sports:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• AMHERST:
  • N/a
• PLEASANTON:.
  • N/a
• GIBBON:
  • N/a
• SHELTON:
  • N/a
• ELM CREEK:
  • N/a
• RAVENNA:
  • N/a

College Athletics:

• UNK LOPERS:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE BRONCOS:
  • Men’s Soccer: @ Graceland @ John Rasmussen Soccer Complex – 5 PM
  • Volleyball: @ Midland @ Fremont, NE – 7:30 PM
• NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS:
  • N/a

KGFW Sports Schedule:

• Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)