Volleyball In Closest Contest With #1 Nebraska Since 2021

Friday, September 25

Lincoln, Neb.

8:00 PM

Rutgers

9-4,0-1Big Ten

Nebraska

12-0,1-0Big Ten

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Rutgers	21	22	15	0
Nebraska	25	25	25	3

Box Score (PDF)

Imani Howell on the block against Vanderbilt during the Big Ten/SEC Challenge at Memorial Gymnasium

Photo by: Brett Carlsen

Volleyball In Closest Contest With #1 Nebraska Since 2021

Sep 25 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

LINCOLN, Neb. – Rutgers volleyball saw late surges in the first two sets against #1 Nebraska on Friday night at the Devaney Center in what were the closest sets between the two squads since the Scarlet Knights took a frame from the five-time national champions in 2021.

The Cornhuskers extended their win streak to 12 straight in a 25-21, 25-22, 25-15 win as the Scarlet Knights dropped to 9-4 overall.

STANDOUT STATS

Skylar George led the offense with nine kills and Karis Willow added seven.
Willow and Imani Howell both collected three blocks, while Howell dropped in a pair of aces.
Kenzie Dyrstad returned to her home state to lead RU with nine digs.
Brooke Baldwin posted a team-leading 17 assists and fellow setter Lily Bolen was shy of a double-double in putting up 11 assists to go with her eight digs.
Rutgers held a 4-3 advantage in aces and was nearly even on the block with Nebraska holding a 7-6 advantage.

KEY MOMENTS

SET 1 (21-25) | Rutgers hit .318 against a Cornhusker defense allowing opponents to hit a nationwide low .081. While Imani Howell collected the first kill of the night, Nebraska would go out to a 7-2 edge to go in front. Nebraska went ahead 21-13, but Rutgers continued to fight every point and cut its deficit in half. Rutgers scored four of the frame's final six points, including impeding set point twice.

SET 2 (22-25) | Rutgers turned a 23-13 deficit into an exciting finish. A late surge saw the Scarlet Knights take a 9-1 run and thwart set point four times. Andi Jackson got the Cornhuskers to set point at 24-17, but RU would rattle off the next five points. The burst was capped by Karis Willow and Imani Howell teaming up for a stop at the left pin to trail 24-22 before Nebraska closed out the set. Willow totaled six kills and hit .500 for the set with two blocks.

B1G Fight In The Scarlet Knights In B1G Opener With No. 1 Nebraska#GoRU ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/lfFgZCz8E7
— Rutgers Volleyball (@RUvball) September 26, 2026

SET 3 (15-25) | The Scarlet Knights opened with a 4-2 edge, but the Cornhuskers took control taking the next five points. Swings by Aspen Maxwell and Howell saw RU down 13-10, but it would the closest RU would get as Nebraska would end the night on an 8-2 run and hit a match-best .444 in the frame.

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