NCAA Girls
December 14, 2023
TAMPA — Showtime!
The NCAA Division I Girls’s Volleyball Championship nationwide semifinals are Thursday.
Right here’s what you could know:
The matchups, time and TV
Pittsburgh vs. Nebraska, 7 p.m. Japanese, ESPN
Texas vs. Wisconsin, half-hour after the primary match, ESPN
From ESPN: All three matches will probably be referred to as by play-by-play commentator Courtney Lyle, alongside analysts Holly McPeak and Katie George. That is the second straight yr the trio will probably be on the decision for the ultimate rounds of the match. Eric Frede and Missy Whittemore will deal with on-site studio protection between semifinal matches.
ESPN has the motion in Tampa coated from each angle, together with unique and behind-the-scenes protection. Along with the normal principal telecast and the ESPN+ stream, an alternate “Excessive Finish Zone” viewing choice will probably be accessible on ESPN+ for the semifinals and the Championship, giving followers the choice to look at the match from the top zone angle.
How they acquired right here
High-seeded Nebraska (32-1) completed 19-1 within the Huge Ten and gained the convention by two video games over Wisconsin. The Huskers swept their first three NCAA Match matches over Lengthy Island, Missouri and Georgia Tech earlier than beating Arkansas in 4 units.
Fourth-seeded Pittsburgh (29-4) tied with Florida State atop the ACC at 16-2. The Panthers swept Coppin State within the first of the NCAA tourney, beat USC in 4, swept Washington State, after which pulled off a reverse sweep to beat fifth-seeded Louisville in 5.
No. 7 Texas (26-4) went 17-1 and gained the Huge 12 by three video games. The Longhorns beat Texas A&M in 4, swept SMU, beat Tennessee in 5 after which beat second-seeded Stanford on its house flooring in 4 units.
Third-seeded Wisconsin (30-3) completed second to Nebraska within the Huge Ten and swept Jackson State and Miami to open the NCAA Match, beat Penn State in 4 after which beat Oregon in 4.
Stats of be aware
Since Texas gained all of it in 2012, simply 5 groups have gained the title, and that features Texas final yr. Nebraska gained in 2015 and 2017 and Wisconsin gained in 2021. The others have been Penn State in 2013 and 2014 and Stanford in 2016, ’18 and ’19.
Two of the highest three offensive powers are right here. Whereas Stanford led the nation in hitting share (.316), Wisconsin was second (.313) and Pitt third (.308). Texas is 14th (.283) and Nebraska No. 18 (.279).
Conversely, the leaders in opponent hitting share face one another. Nebraska tops the nation at .134, whereas Pitt is second at .138. Wisconsin is fourth at .144 and Texas is just not within the prime 50 at .185.
Wisconsin (3.09/set), Pitt (2.97) and Texas (2.94) go 1-2-3 in blocking. Nebraska is No. 22 at .264.
Among the many particular person leaders are Asjia O’Neal of Texas, who’s second in nation at 1.62/set, adopted by No. Carter Sales space of Wisconsin (1.60), No. 4 Emma Monks of Pitt (1.57) and No. 9 Becka Allick of Nebraska (1.45).
Madisen Skinner of Texas, the Huge 12 participant of the yr, is No. 6 in kills per set (4.79). Subsequent among the many gamers right here is No. 28 Wisconsin’s Sarah Franklin, the Huge Ten participant of the yr, at 4.19.
Streaking: Pitt has gained 9 in a row, Texas has gained eight in a row, Wisconsin has gained seven in a row, and Nebraska has gained 5 in a row (since dropping to Wisconsin).
One participant will probably be going for her third NCAA title. Madisen Skinner gained all of it as a freshman at Kentucky, then transferred and gained final yr at Texas.
They mentioned it
“It will likely be actually attention-grabbing to see how these matches are performed out. You’re speaking about 4 groups which can be elite defensively. You’ve acquired the highest three blocking groups within the nation and the crew that isn’t within the prime three, I feel they lead the nation in crew protection,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield mentioned. “Take into consideration that. However then you’ve gotten folks that may terminate and a number of folks that may terminate from all 4 groups. There’s 4 groups that may win in additional than only one method.”
Nebraska’s Merritt Beason on a USA nationwide crew for Pitt’s Dan Fisher and setter Rachel Fairbanks was a teammate.
“I cherished enjoying for Coach Dan,” Beason mentioned. “He was one of many few coaches that I might immediately click on with in a really quick period of time. That was actually, actually cool. He was superb about constructing relationships and being very personable, even in a really quick period of time. That stood out quite a bit about him. And he pushed us and I cherished enjoying for him.
“And Rachel, she’s considered one of a sort. She’s hilarious and a fantastic particular person. And I completely cherished enjoying along with her. They’re each nice folks. Rachel’s clearly a fantastic setter. So I’m excited to see them once more and to have the ability to play them and sort of get one other rematch like final yr and sort of have one other likelihood at that.”
Wednesday’s quote of the day: After we requested Pitt coach Dan Fisher what Nebraska needed to do to beat the Panthers, he paused, thought of it, after which mentioned: “I feel principally they’re going to need to play nice protection.”
What’s subsequent
The winners play at 3 p.m. Japanese Sunday on ABC. It’s the primary time the NCAA last will probably be on ABC after years of being proven on Saturday night time on both ESPN or ESPN2.