“No blood,” Kraft reported afterward, but the Jayhawks certainly saw enough red after the Cornhuskers pounded them 15-7, 15-5, 15-6 at Horejsi Center on Wednesday night.

“Nebraska is a very talented team,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “No question about it.”

Nebraska (10-0) was everything Kansas (10-2) and the sellout crowd of 1,300 expected and more. The No. 1 team in the country was tall, physical, fast and strong. It attacked well, committing only four errors while hitting .495 compared to Kansas’ .193. It blocked well and served even better.

Kansas had plenty of heart. What it did not have was height. The Jayhawks’ Danielle Geronymo is KU’s tallest player at 6-foot-2.

“That height is typical for Nebraska volleyball,” Bechard said.

Nebraska setter Greichaly Cepero measures 6-2. Kansas’ Molly LaMere is 5-7. That alone made a difference.

“Molly is a great setter,” Bechard said. “But the extra height (Cepero) has allows the ball to move around faster and us to have less reaction time.”

Really, Kansas was fortunate if LaMere even touched the ball. Bechard was dismayed that the Jayhawks had so much trouble getting the ball to their setter off Nebraska’s serves. Nebraska had seven aces, but more importantly kept Kansas befuddled with its ability to mix up its serves with a variety of speeds and spins. All the confusion left the Jayhawks in bad situations trying to set up plays.

“We had to do a better job of getting Molly involved,” Bechard said.

Kansas also hoped to get the crowd involved, but Nebraska’s blunt efficiency ended the match in one hour, 20 minutes.

“We never had any momentum,” KU’s Nancy Bell said.

Bechard offered the have-nothing-to-lose speech before the match, trying to convince the Jayhawks to go have fun and see what could happen. But it was obvious Kansas came out tentative and nervous, and Nebraska capitalized.

“When a team is nervous, it starts tipping the ball more,” Nebraska outside hitter Jenny Kropp said.

The Cornhuskers took advantage of KU’s anxiety and lack of attack by streaking to an 11-0 lead in the first game. Kansas played its best volleyball on side-out opportunities, but the Jayhawks found a way to gain a 5-3 lead in the second game before Nebraska reeled off 12 consecutive points.

“We just kept getting stuck on 5 for the longest time,” Bell said.

Kansas trailed 5-2 in the final game when Kraft was nailed by a kill. The play was a quick setup that Kansas could not defend in time. The ball bounced off the floor and into Kraft.

“When they play that big, you have to play smarter,” Bell said. “Or the ball will come back in your face.”

After the Kraft shot, Nebraska simply finished off the match and walked off the court in business-like fashion.

“Are they ranked?” Bechard quipped. “Well they should be.”