#1 Penn State vs #5 Nebraska - 2017 National Semifinal Match

I am literally so nervous over tonight that I won’t be able to watch live. I am trying to distract myself with things to do all day and hopefully tonight, and will record and check scores every so often. I hate that I ever let sports get to me, and I’ve gotten so much better over the years making sure I don’t get too caught up. Apparently, the Penn State women’s volleyball team is the one sports team I am the most invested in, darn it.

It all goes back to that September game. I had never in my PSU volleyball watching history (since 1993) actually been comfortable in the thought that we would actually beat Nebraska. The anger and motivation they had to have over the last in Lincoln in the 2016 match, the Huskers without a trio of stars and us senior heavy, the match the first of the conference season, the match being in Rec Hall…it all added up to, “Well, this time for sure they’ll do it.”

So that was a big letdown...Nebraska just has our number, so I’m on guard again, and fear that Cook will just be so good as dissecting and planning to mess with the limitations of our 6-2. Maybe that September loss was the one to make sure it won’t happen again, but I thought that about the ’16 tourney loss. I just hope it isn’t so much in their heads. Coach Rose’s votes in the AVCA poll afterward still seemed to indicate he had faith, so I hope that holds true.

Gotta stray focused every point. Don’t get too excited, don’t try to make every swing a crushing statement kill. And of course the serve/receive battle. We really, really need to win that first set. Hunter is their biggest advantage…gotta be ready for her tricks and do as much as we can to minimize her impact. The crowd will be heavy Nebraska, but it won’t be as overwhelming as the 2016 crowd I don’t think. I hope the team that showed a lot of focus on the road late in the season shows up and takes control.

Damn you, sports!

Liz (Does not -- I repeat, does not -- dislike Penn State) and the Lion