“We’re used to seeing huge turnouts,” Rebekah Allick once said about how Nebraska volleyball fans always show up in flocks to the Huskers’ matches without fail. Not a flex. In recent years, Nebraska has established itself as the volleyball capital of the USA, and even its opponents seem to benefit considerably from the trend. However, as the Big Red took on #18 Creighton, it seemed like the huge turnout actually became the visitors’ biggest off-court rival on Tuesday.
In the post-match presser, the Huskers’ captain Bergen Reilly revealed how dealing with the crowd at the CHI Health Center in Omaha was a difficult task. The Nebraska setter posted 43 assists and 19 digs at tonight’s game, but still admitted to having a tough time on the volleyball court. As per Lincoln Arneal, an indoor regular season record-setting 17,675 fans turned up for the match, and that’s exactly what Reilly & Co. had troubles with. In a YouTube upload by HuskerOnline from September 16, the Nebraska junior elaborated on the matter.
On being asked how she and her teammates managed work around the thunderous atmosphere, Reilly admitted it was a challenge, “It was very loud. Me and Andi, and Harper were up there, and we were like, ‘We’re gonna have to scream at each other during this play’. But it’s super exciting.” Luckily, though, Nebraska volleyball, being the champs they are, rose up to the occasion as they beat Creighton 3-2 to maintain their unblemished 2025 record.
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While Nebraska came to Omaha with all guns blazing, Creighton also held the fort with gusto. Forced to play a fifth set, the Huskers ultimately won the match 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, and 15-9. With that win, Dani Busboom Kelly’s team improved to 9-0. And yet, despite the big triumph on the court, Reilly couldn’t help but reveal how the deafening noise at the CHI Health Center prompted the Nebraska volleyball stars to fall back to their training.
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“It’s fun to be a part of, and it’s just a great atmosphere to be in. But it definitely does kind of make you go back to your training again, because you can’t really hear each other, so you just have to have a feel of where you are,” Bergen said about Tuesday’s host, which made life difficult for the Nebraska volleyball program considerably.