Omaha, Neb. ? Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson led Nebraska to the NCAA women’s volleyball title Saturday night, combining for 41 kills in the Cornhuskers’ 27-30, 30-26, 30-28, 30-27 victory over Stanford.
Pavan had 22 kills and Larson finished with 19.
Nebraska broke an 11-all tie in the fourth game with a kill, consecutive blocks and a Stanford hitting error that made it 15-11. Stanford pulled to 29-27, but a Larson kill ended the game, giving Nebraska its first title since 2000.
Stanford went up, 16-12, in the first game after a 7-1 run during which Foluke Akinradewo had three kills and a block assist. The Cornhuskers tied it at 18 after a Cardinal hitting error and net violation.
Stanford led, 27-24, after a five-point run on two errors and a net violation by Nebraska, and eventually won the first game, 30-27.
Larson had seven kills and no errors in the first game for Nebraska, after posting six kills and six errors in the semifinal against UCLA on Thursday.
The Cornhuskers jumped to a 5-1 lead in the second game, but Stanford reclaimed the lead at 9-8 after two blocks, two kills and a service ace.
With the score tied at 24, Pavan deflected Cynthia Barboza’s attempt straight up into the air, but couldn’t see the ball. Rachel Holloway scrambled to make the dig and Larson set the ball across the court to Mancuso, who ended the point with a kill. The Huskers won the game, 30-26.
The Cornhuskers were down, 26-22, in the third game, but rallied to tie it at 27. Erin Waller had nine kills in the game for Stanford, but Larson blocked her possible 10th kill to put the Cornhuskers up, 29-28. Pavan ended the game on the next point with her 16th kill, giving Nebraska a 2-1 match lead.
