Harper Murray's career night leads Nebraska volleyball to four-set Sweet 16 win over Dayton

Volleyball is one of the ultimate team sports, with all six players on the court needing each other to have success.

But Nebraska’s match against Dayton in the third round of the NCAA Tournament will be remembered as a late-night dual between Harper and Lexie.

Harper Murray’s Huskers had more at the finish to keep the season alive with a four-set win, 25-17, 25-18, 25-27, 25-13.

Dayton star outside hitter Lexie Almodovar willed her team in the third set with 12 kills to extend the match. And she gained a lot of respect from Nebraska fans for what she did as a 5-foot-8 hitter against the bigger Huskers.

Murray finished with 22 kills. Almodovar had 20.

The match ended at 11:35 p.m.

Nebraska’s success at home in the NCAA Tournament is almost ridiculous, with a school-record 25 straight wins over 10 seasons.

On Sunday the third-ranked Huskers will play for a spot in the Final Four. The Huskers play No. 7 Wisconsin at 2 p.m. on ABC.

Nebraska (32-2) has reached the Elite Eight for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons.

Wisconsin (26-6) advanced with a five-set win against Texas A&M in the other regional semifinal. With the first match going the distance, Nebraska’s match didn’t begin until 9:18 p.m.

It will be the third time this season Nebraska and Wisconsin have played, with the Huskers winning the first two in sweeps. Nebraska’s win in Madison helped propel the Huskers to winning the Big Ten title.

Murray led the Huskers again on Friday with both her big kills and four ace serves. But Nebraska’s offensive balance is one of its strengths, and the Huskers got kills from all over with Rebekah Alick (10 kills), Taylor Landfair (eight) and Andi Jackson (eight).

Jackson also had seven blocks. Lexi Rodriguez had 22 digs.

Nebraska had a .215 hitting percentage and held Dayton to .087.

Almodovar was at her best in the third set when she helped keep the Flyers’ season alive with 12 kills in the set, including two big ones at the finish.

After Nebraska completed a comeback to tie the match at 24, Almodovar got back-to-back kills. Then when Dayton blocked Murray, the Flyers had extended the match with a 27-25 set win.

It was the first set Nebraska lost in the NCAA Tournament – and the first when an opponent reached 20 points in any set — after winning eight straight sets in wins against Florida A&M, Miami and Dayton.

If there are volleyball players that you don’t want to take your eyes off when they’re on the court the Flyers’ Almodovar is one of them – front or back row. How does she get all of those kills at 5-foot-8? Quick feet, and smart calculated hitting attempts because she knows she just can’t fly over the blockers every time. Her 552 kills this season are 200 more than any of her teammates.

On Friday, Almodovar had 68 of the Flyers’ 149 hitting attempts.

To start the match Dayton had the better start in serve and serve-receive and led 8-5. The Huskers’ first lead of the match didn’t occur until 14-13, on a blast by Murray.

And even after the quick lead, Dayton wasn’t able to reach 20 points against Nebraska’s defense. Dayton star outside hitter Lexie Almodover had four kills, but also four hitting errors for a .000 hitting percentage in the set. Nebraska won the set 25-17.

For Nebraska, Allick had a 4-for-6 start hitting and Murray added four kills, including a back-row blast on set point.

The start of the second set was much better, with an early ace serve from Lexi Rodriguez quickly getting the Huskers a 7-3 lead.

Later, Murray served three straight aces for a 20-14 lead. Nebraska won the set 25-18 for a 2-0 match lead.

Get the full story later on Omaha.com

Nebraska’s Rebekah Allick (5) celebrates after a kill against Dayton during the first set of a Sweet 16 NCAA volleyball tournament match at the Devaney Center in Lincoln on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.