With two ex-Huskers in the starting lineup, the United States women’s volleyball team beat Japan in four sets in the quarterfinals of the four-week-long Volleyball Nations League tournament on Wednesday.
In a rare home match for Team USA, the Americans won 25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18 in front of about 5,000 fans in Arlington, Texas. In Saturday’s semifinals, the U.S. will play the winner of Thursday’s Turkey-Italy match.
Former Huskers Kelsey (Robinson) Cook and Justine Wong-Orantes were each starters. Cook had 11 points on 10 kills and one block before leaving the match after she took a hard fall going after a ball on the sideline.
Right-side hitter Annie Drews of Purdue led all scorers with 13 points on 11 kills and a match-high two ace serves.
The U.S. led in kills (62-50) and blocks (10-9) while the teams tied in ace serves (2-2).