“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 trouble 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 to 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 to the occasion as they beat Creighton 3-2 to maintain their unblemished 2025 record.

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 on their training.

“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.

The massive turnout broke the previous record of 17,037, held by Wisconsin since Sept. 13, 2023, when the Badgers took on and defeated Marquette at the Fiserv Forum. Thanks to today’s record footfall, Nebraska volleyball and the Bluejays reclaim their crown: It was this match-up that had posted the then-record attendance of 15,797 at the same venue as Tuesday’s in September 2022. However, despite the home fans gathered in all their might, Creighton failed to take advantage.

Thanks to explosive performances by Reilly, opposite hitter Harper Murray (17 kills and 10 digs), freshman Virginia Adriano (13 kills, two aces, and a .320 hitting), six-foot-three middle blocker Andi Jackson (13 kills, 4 blocks), libero Olivia Mauch (career-high 16 digs), Rebekah Allick (7 kills), and the rest of the Nebraska volleyball athletes, the Huskers sealed the deal en route to their final non-conference match against Arizona.

Safe to say, the reigning Big Ten champs are looking comfortable in their shoes. And why wouldn’t they? After all, it’s the Huskers who hold the outdoor attendance record for women’s sports: In 2023, a staggering 92,003 fans filled up Memorial Stadium to the brink to watch them take on Omaha. Of course, they’re used to playing in front of big crowds! But what does tonight’s win mean for the new management?

How long can Nebraska Volleyball keep bouncing back, setbacks aside?

Tuesday’s victory would assure head coach DBK that her team is up for any challenge thrown at them. When Busboom Kelly was announced as the successor to the legendary John Cook, fans were concerned about whether she could uphold the legacy of the four-time NCAA title-winning coach. But so far, it looks like the Huskers are able to rally behind Dani’s cause without breaking a sweat. So much so that even Cook had to admit that the new Nebraska volleyball talent is reminding him of the explosive stars who used to play under him at Lincoln.

On the other hand, the Huskers faced a few concerning moments in the campaign already. Disturbingly enough, Nebraska’s Harper Murray acknowledged that the tough battle against the Kentucky Wildcats had to be gone through because the team was growing too accustomed to practicing at the “Bob”. As tonight’s match proved again, the Huskers are still finding ways to cope with a change of setting.

Thankfully, the roster has enough stars to help each other out when things get difficult. But will they be able to keep doing so all season? We’ll have to keep an eye out to see how deep Busboom Kelly’s wisdom bag goes to find ways to help out her athletes.