Arizona volleyball: Experience as important as result at No. 1 Nebraska

No team wants to go into a match admitting that it has very little, if any, chance to win. That’s the position any honest fan of the Arizona Wildcats has to take.

Their squad is going to face the No. 1 team in the country. They are going to do it at a place where volleyball is serious business. And they are coming off three straight losses to teams not nearly as good as the Cornhuskers.

So, what should the Wildcats focus on?

Representing their program well is at the forefront of their minds.

“We’re just extremely excited for the opportunity, especially at Nebraska, to showcase a lot of things that we can do and show that we can compete at a really high level, because I know that we can,” defensive specialist Haven Wray said.

They have to regroup after losing three straight, including dropping their final nonconference home match on Tuesday. The internal focus has been on trusting and playing for each other.

“We’ve really been talking about trying to build a chemistry, not just off the court, but on the court as well, and really building trust and knowing that we are all here for a reason,” said senior outside hitter Jordan Wilson. “We all have a role to play, and to trust everyone to do that role too, and to do it to the fullest, and to know that they’re always going to put their best foot forward, the same way that we will for them.”

The Wildcats certainly have individual players who have competed at the same level as Nebraska’s lineup. Wilson competed for the same club as Husker freshmen Teraya Sidler and Kenna Cogill.

“I watched them in high school,” Wilson said. “Watched them when they were younger, grow through the club program, and they’re doing really well. I absolutely love watching them play now. It’s amazing to see how they’ve grown from being like when they were 13, 14, to now when they’re in college.”

All three come from the Phoenix area and played for Arizona Storm. Sidler was the No. 1 ranked player in last year’s class and Cogill was No. 24. Wilson was ranked second in the class of 2022. There’s some pride in knowing that the state of Arizona produces players of that caliber.

“When I was in club…I think Arizona was kind of seen as an underdog for producing those big time players, those big name players,” Wilson said. “And throughout the years, I think we have definitely made our mark…in the country just proving ourselves, saying that, hey, we can produce as many big name players as Texas, California, Florida, all of those other states where volleyball is a big sport within their state.”

Wildcat sophomore Carlie Cisneros has been looking forward to this match since the players found out about it last year.

“I have an old teammate on that team, so definitely Nebraska,” she said.

The Wildcats’ sophomore outside hitter was ranked No. 1 by PrepVolleyball in last year’s class. She played club on Dynasty, alongside Nebraska redshirt freshman Skyler Pierce. Pierce was named the best outside hitter in last year’s class by PrepDig.

Cisneros and Pierce illustrate the different states of the programs. The Huskers’ roster is littered up and down with players of that caliber. Their depth is so extreme that Pierce was able to redshirt last year on a team that went 33-3 and advanced to the Final Four before the Huskers fell to national champion Penn State. Meanwhile, the Wildcats needed Cisneros on the floor for every point of a season that ended with the NIVC championship.

When: Saturday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. MST

Where: John Cook Arena in Lincoln, Neb.

TV: Big Ten Network

Streaming: Fox ONE ($/Free trial)

Seeing old friends and teammates is exciting, but the experience of playing in John Cook Arena at Bob Devaney Sports Center is also on everyone’s mind.

“I expect our players to go in and be ready to compete,” Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs said. “It’s a match that they’ve known about since last year and have been excited for it, and it’s an environment that’s going to be fun…They’ve seen it and on television and things of that nature, but it’s something that all players aspire to be in that environment.”

The environment is one of home sellouts stretching back 24 years and spanning two different venues. The home sellout streak of 337 matches is the longest in any women’s college sport. The devotion to the program included the largest outdoor crowd for any women’s sporting event when Nebraska and Omaha played in front of 92,003 fans at Memorial Stadium in 2023.

It even follows the Huskers on the road. Last week, they were part of a regular season indoor record for women’s volleyball when they defeated No. 18 Creighton 3-2 at CHI Health Center Omaha in front of 17,675 fans.

It won’t be the first time Arizona has played the No. 1 team on the road. In 2023, UA played at No. 1 Wisconsin, where they fell 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-21). In 2021, the Wildcats traveled to Texas. They battled the top-ranked Longhorns, but the home team eventually took the 3-1 (25-21, 16-25, 25-22, 25-22) victory.

Arizona’s last match against Nebraska came in 2019 on a neutral court. The Cornhuskers were ranked No. 2 at the time. The Wildcats fell behind two sets, but battled back to force a fourth. The Huskers emerged victorious in a 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 17-25, 25-17) match.

The players who were on the team in 2023 are drawing on their experience at Wisconsin, but Stubbs knows things will be different in Lincoln. She has advised the players to use the environment to their advantage.

“They’ve talked about that and said, ‘You remember when we were in Wisconsin and what it was like and just the environment?’” Stubbs said. “The one thing about Nebraska that I think is a little bit different than Wisconsin is that the people just love volleyball, and they’ll be there cheering. And so what I told the players is, Nebraska will be cheering for us. They’re gonna have our red. They’re going to be loud. They’re going to be excited. I’m just going to pretend they’re cheering for Arizona.”

The Wildcats won’t be without support, anyway. During their golf tournament in August, they held a silent auction. One prize was a trip to Nebraska for this match. It will be the first time fans have traveled with the team.

They will even have some support in the Nebraska program. The Huskers’ team doctor Janet Kruse Sellon is the aunt of Arizona setter Avery Scoggins. Sellon played for Nebraska from 1988-1991 and was the program’s first three-time All-American.

Back in Tucson, fans will gather at the Sands Club for a watch party. The program posted RSVP instructions on social media, but it was completely booked by Friday evening.

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