Top ranked and defending champion Nebraska and fellow semifinalist Minnesota were both eliminated from the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio.
Ebony Nwanebu had 15 kills to help Number 4 Texas beat Nebraska in three sets 25-18, 25-23, 25-21.
The Longhorns (27-4) will face Stanford in the final. The Cardinal beat Minnesota in four sets in the first semifinal.
Nebraska’s leading hitters, Kadie Rolfzen and Mikaela Foecke, combined for 19 kills. Foecke was set 30 times and swung at a rate of .333. Nebraska finished 31-3.
The match was a rematch of the 2015 national championship game in Omaha, Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers won in three sets. The Huskers beat Texas in late August, but the Longhorns attack proved too tough for the reigning national champs.
Inky Ajanaku had 15 kills and nine blocks and Stanford beat second-ranked Minnesota in four sets Thursday night to reach the NCAA women’s volleyball final.
The 6-foot-6 freshmen hitting duo of Kathryn Plummer and Audriana Fitzmorris combined for 25 kills in the 26-24, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22 victory.
Sarah Wilhite led Minnesota (29-5) with 25 kills. The Gophers had won 14 straight matches.
