Unranked SMU pulled off a surprise upset of No. 2-ranked Nebraska on Tuesday night, defeating the Huskers 25-23, 25-21 and 25-18 in front of a record crowd of 6,773 at Moody Coliseum. The win was Nebraska’s first loss of the season and their first loss to an unranked team since 2017.
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The Mustangs dominated from the service line, scoring seven aces compared to Nebraska’s lone ace. Veteran hitter Naya Shime was instrumental in SMU’s win, contributing nine kills and five blocks. Middle blocker Nnedi Okammo was also outstanding in goal, scoring nine blocks to shut down the Huskers’ offense.
Volleyball at a high level in Moody 😮💨#PonyUpDallas | @SMUMustangs pic.twitter.com/jqNIJpIPF2
— SMU Volleyball (@SMUVolleyball) 4 September 2024
Although Nebraska led 21-16 in the first set, SMU mounted a ruthless comeback, scoring nine of the next 11 points to win the set 25-23. The Huskers struggled to regain momentum for the rest of the match, posting a team batting average of just .171 and committing 11 service errors.
FINAL STATS: SMU’s surprise win over Nebraska
SMU closed the game with a 12-4 run in the third set to secure its first sweep of the season and a landmark win in its debut season as members of the ACC. Nebraska, now 3-1, will look to bounce back against The Citadel on Thursday, while SMU hosts Milwaukee on Thursday.
