LINCOLN — John Cook wanted to change things up.
Nebraska’s head coach said he wasn’t going to consider running a 6-2 rotation for myriad reasons for last week’s games.
But the switch flipped for No. 2 Nebraska’s sweep of Loyola Marymount on Thursday evening with Nicklin Hames and Anni Evans rotating as the two setters in Nebraska’s 25-17, 25-16, 25-17, win.
“It is a lot to change,” Cook said. “It creates all kinds of new lineups and new placement and new people next to each other.”
With the new rotation, the straight-set victory didn’t come easy for the Huskers (4-0).
The second set featured four lead changes while Nebraska faced multiple four-point deficits in the third game before rallying in each frame.
“We were a little discombobulated because we only worked on it a couple days. It was all new for them,” Cook said. “... So we have a lot to smooth out.”
People are also reading…
Sophomore outside hitter Ally Batenhorst served as the catalyst to get the Huskers out of the hole in the final game after throwing down three kills over the span of four points. The 6-foot-5 Houston native finished with a team-high 10 kills.
“She brings a lot of energy,” Hames said of Batenhorst. “She took some really big swings there for us to try to get out of that rut. We were kind of slow to start and when people take big swings like Ally did, it gives us the momentum. It gives us the energy.”
Behind Batenhorst, sophomore outside hitter Whitney Lauenstein finished the match with nine kills and senior outside hitter Madi Kubik added eight.
That balanced outside hitting attack from those three and sophomore Lindsay Krause (four kills) is part of what makes a 6-2 offense productive. Keeping multiple players taller than 6-foot-2 in the front row creates dominant blocking opportunities.
“Just having all of us in there and having such a deep bench and just having offense coming from all angles of the court is just really special,” Batenhorst said. “It’s really good for our team, especially just keeping our offense numbers high.”
Sophomore setter Kennedi Orr did not play, as Cook said she’s “still figuring out” how to “get your hitters kills” and that Hames and Evans have been setting well lately, and Hames’ experience speaks for itself.
By the match’s end, Hames paced the Huskers with 22 assists, while Evans had nine.
Even though there are quirks to be worked out with the 6-2 offense, Hames felt the rotation with Evans went well.
“I thought me and Anni did a pretty good job with that,” Hames said. “Anni set the sauce, as we like to say. She set really good, so it made my job coming in really easy to just keep the offense going. Yeah, it’s definitely different than a 5-1.”
In a 5-1 scheme, there is just one setter who plays through the entire rotation. In Nebraska’s version of the 6-2 rotation, one setter remained in the back row at all times. When it was time for the setter to rotate into the front row, they substituted with a hitter, and the other setter subbed into the back row.
“In 6-2, you’re in, you’re out, you’re in, you’re out,” Cook said of how this scheme impacts the setters. “Anni’s used to that. Her whole career here, she’s been a sub that’s come in. We’ve let her go through the back row before. Nicklin, I think, is at a point she can handle anything.
“Setters like to be in a rhythm, and they have to mentally hang in there until their turn comes until they get to go back in.”
Nebraska hasn’t consistently used the 6-2 rotation since 2010, and also used the formation in 2005 when the Huskers advanced to the national championship game before losing to Washington. They’ve used it sporadically since, like briefly in 2013.
As far as if the 6-2 is here to stay, Cook said he needs to look at the video and hear from his assistant coaches.
Nebraska faces Ole Miss (0-2) on Saturday at the Devaney Center. Before the Huskers take on the Kayla Banwarth-coached Rebels, Ole Miss will play Loyola Marymount on Friday as a part of the Husker Invitational.