A preview of the women’s volleyball national semifinals
December 13, 2023
The women’s volleyball national semifinalists take the court in Tampa, FL, tomorrow night, hoping to make Santa’s victorious list for the opportunity to wrap their season with a championship bow on Sunday.
Pitt_VB/X
The GIST: The women’s volleyball national semifinalists take the court in Tampa, FL, tomorrow night, hoping to make Santa’s nice victorious list for the opportunity to wrap their season with a championship bow on Sunday.
No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (32-1) vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers (29-4), 7 p.m. ET (ESPN): No ACC team has ever won the natty, and Pitt — who’ve never made the final — are hungry to change that stat. The Panthers face an uphill battle though: They’ve never defeated Nebraska.
- On the flip side, the overall No. 1–seed Huskers are no strangers to success. This will be the five-time champs’ 17th (!!!) Final Four berth and they’ve won all but one set all tourney.
No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers (30-3) vs. No. 2 Texas Longhorns (26-4), 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN): This is defending champ Texas’ 15th NCAA semi, and with stars like middle blocker (MB) Asjia O’Neal, these Longhorns could swim to a fourth ’ship.
- But not if the Badgers have anything to say about it. With junior outside hitter Anna Smrek back and healthy, Wisconsin’s lone 2021 trophy could soon have company.
