LOVB Nebraska player Jordan Larson, named the most valuable player in a March 7 match against LOVB Salt Lake City, talks in a post-match interview. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – LOVB Nebraska defeated LOVB Salt Lake City in three sets in a match that set record attendance for a LOVB match.
Approximately 5,050 people attended the March 7 match at the Heartland Events Center.
LOVB Nebraska star Jordan Larson was named player of the game, recording 15 points, 14 kills, and one block. Larson wore a necklace with the five-ring Olympic logo. She played in four Olympics.
Larson helped the United States earn its first-ever gold in women’s volleyball in the 2020 Olympics. Larson played for the 2006 Cornhusker team that won a national championship.
The set scores for LOVB Nebraska were 29-27, 25-16, and 25-22. LOVB Nebraska improves to 5-7 on the season.
For LOVB Nebraska, Anne Bujis got 13 points on 13 kills. Kimberly Drewniok scored 13 points on 13 kills. Nebraska setter Laura Dijkema had 38 assists.
“It’s cool just to see everything come together,” Larson said. She said the team just feels now like it’s in a really good spot of just taking the next right step.
“The crowd was huge,” Larson said. She focuses on “to leave it all out there.”
Larson said she gets to put shoes and knee pads on.
“At least I’m going to go down swinging,” she said. “I’m really proud of our team.”
Larson said she is trying to enjoy the season as much as she can.
She said the match had a home element for her. Her grandmother’s brother and wife attended the match. A former babysitter, whom she hadn’t seen in about 15 years, attended the match.
Head Coach Susie Fritz said about Larson, “I think it’s remarkable what she continues to do. She’s amazing. …She’s remarkable in every way.”
Former University of Nebraska Cornhusker libero Lexi Rodriguez did not get playing time in the March 7 match. Fritz said Libero Annie Cesar got the starting nod, based on her performance in the last few matches.
Salt Lake City Coach Tama Miyahrio said that the close first set loss was a big moment in the match.
“We tried to stop the bleeding in the second set,” Miyahrio said. She credited Nebraska for playing “really good volleyball for a very long time.”
Nebraska plays LOVE Madison at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12, in Madison.
Nebraska earned 61 points, compared to 41 for Salt Lake City.
Other statistics:
*Errors: Nebraska, 18; Salt Lake City, 14.
*Points scored percentage: Nebraska, 40.3%; Salt Lake City, 28.4 %.
*Kills: Nebraska, 49; Salt Lake City, 42.
*Kill percentage: Nebraska, 48%; Salt Lake City, 36.5%.
*Blocks: Nebraska, 10; Salt Lake City, 8.
*Digs: Nebraska, 43; Salt Lake City, 30.
*Setting: Nebraska, 47; Salt Lake City, 40.
