NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – In the closest match since their first Big Ten battle back in October of 2014, the Rutgers volleyball team battled No. 4 Nebraska on Friday afternoon falling 25-18, 25-21, 25-19.

The Cornhuskers upped their mark to 5-0. The Scarlet Knights, coming off last weekend's road matchup at No. 1 Wisconsin and playing their second-straight ranked opponent, dropped to 1-6.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• The contest totaled 14 tie scores and nine lead changes in the three sets.
• Kamila Cieslik led the attack with 10 kills, while Beka Kojadinovic swung for nine kills and only made one attack error.
• Inna Balyko registered 26 assists
• Anastasiia Maksimova led the defense with 10 digs and three blocks (one solo, two assist) while also contributing seven kills.
• Five different Scarlet Knights recorded two or more blocks in the contest led by Shealyn McNamara and Tina Grkovic with three each.

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (18-25) |The first set remained close early as a block from the hands of Maksimova and McNamara saw Rutgers trail, 9-7. Two kills from Grkovic saw Rutgers within two again at 12-10 before Nebraska widened its margin.  
• Set 2 (21-25) | Rutgers jumped in front and thanks to a 6-0 run led 11-4. Maksimova accounted for three kills and a block during the opening burst while it closed with an ace from Madyson Chitty. While the Cornhuskers followed by outscoring the Scarlet Knights 6-1 to close the gap,  Rutgers responded with three unanswered. Capped by a block from Balyko and Grkovic, RU stayed in front at 15-10. Nebraska went on a 9-2 tear for the lead change, but a Kojadinovic swing knotted the set at 19-19. The second frame was tied again at 20-20 on another attack from the hands of Kojadinovic, but Nebraska prevailed with five of the next six points.
• Set 3 (19-25) | The Cornhuskers had its largest lead of the final frame at 15-9 before the Scarlet Knights chipped away. Two 3-0 runs coming off kills from four different Scarlet Knights and two blocks reduced RU's deficit to one at 17-16. A kill from Maksimova saw Rutgers trail just 20-18, but Nebraska outscored the Scarlet Knights 5-1 for the game.

KNIGHT NOTES

• It was the closest meeting between the Scarlet Knights and Cornhuskers since Oct. 31, 2014 when then-No. 14 Nebraska took a 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 win at the College Ave Gym.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

QUOTES

 

UP NEXT

 

• Rutgers is back for another battle with No. 4 Nebraska on Saturday at 4 p.m. Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, there will be no admission to home games.

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