Sports – Page 652 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers Take Down Hawkeyes in Straight Sets

Posted on November 27, 2013

Iowa City, Iowa- The No. 10 Nebraska volleyball team (23-5, 16-3) swept the Iowa Hawkeyes 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-18) on Wednesday evening at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Huskers produced a solid night from the service line with a season-high 11 aces.

Kelsey Robinson led Nebraska on the night with 13 kills, 10 digs and four aces. She also hit at a clip of .320. Kadie Rolfzen tallied nine kills and a match-high 11 digs, while Melanie Keil notched six kills and zero errors for a .500 hitting percentage. Mary Pollmiller handed out 29 assists on the night, while Meghan Haggerty led NU at the net with four blocks and Alexa Ethridge also added four aces.

The Huskers hit .240 for the set, while Iowa hit .134. The Huskers out-blocked the Hawkeyes 7-5 and out-dug Iowa 41-31.

Aces set the Huskers apart early in the first set as Nebraska took an 11-8 lead. NU stretched its lead to 15-10 after a kill from Robinson and a hitting error on the Hawkeyes, as Iowa then called a timeout. Back-to-back kills gave the Huskers an 18-12 advantage, but Iowa cut into NU’s lead at 20-18. Nebraska came back to hold on to win the first set 25-16.

Robinson led Nebraska in the first set with four kills, while Amber Rolfzen, Kadie Rolfzen and Keil all had two kills. The Huskers hit .138 for the set and had four aces, while Iowa hit .065.

Errors by the Huskers mounted up early in the second set as Iowa took a 9-6 lead. A 4-0 run from the Huskers gave NU the lead at 15-14 after a kill from Robinson. A block from Robinson made it 19-16, NU, as the Huskers use a 4-0 run to push ahead and win the second set 25-18.

Robinson tallied seven kills in the second set, while Kadie Rolfzen had four. Nebraska hit .321 for the set, while Iowa hit .250. NU out-blocked the Hawkeyes 2-0.

Kadie Rolfzen helped the Huskers to a 6-4 lead in the third set, as Haggerty put NU up 10-6. Robinson distanced the Huskers at 17-11, while a 4-0 run closed out the set for the Huskers at 25-18.

Robinson and Kadie Rolfzen both had five kills in the final set. Nebraska hit .256 and held Iowa to a .128 hitting clip

The Huskers return home on Saturday, Nov. 30 as Nebraska will host the Penn State Nittany Lions for senior night. The match is slated for 7:30 p.m., and will air on the Big Ten Network.

Penn State Claims Big Ten Volleyball Championship

Posted on November 27, 2013

ROSEMONT, Ill. – With its 3-0 win over Ohio State on Wednesday night, Penn State earned the outright 2013 Big Ten Volleyball Championship. The Nittany Lions had clinched at least a share of the title last Saturday. The crown marks the 10^th in the last 11 years and 16^th overall. Penn State improves to 18-1 in Big Ten play and 27-2 overall and has earned the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.

The Nittany Lions won by a score of 25-12 in the first set, following with a 25-14 win in Set 2 and a 25-8 victory to clinch the match in the third set. Deja McClendon led the Nittany Lions with 11 kills, while Micha Hancock notched 14 digs and Katie Slay tallied seven blocks to lead the team.

The final matches of the 2013 regular season will be held this weekend, with the 2013 NCAA Championship field set to be announced on Sunday, Dec. 1. The 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship selection show is scheduled to air at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

US Soccer Tabs Altidore, Wambach Athletes of Year

Posted on November 27, 2013

CHICAGO (AP) — Jozy Altidore and Abby Wambach were honored as the men’s and women’s athletes of the year by U.S. soccer.

The men’s Athlete of the Year honor is the first for Altidore. He becomes the 22nd player to earn the award since its inception in 1984.

Altidore set a U.S. men’s national team record by scoring a goal in five consecutive matches from June 2 to Aug. 14. His eight goals in 2013 were a career best and tied for a team high.

Wambach earns her sixth women’s Athlete of the Year award. Wambach led the U.S. in scoring this year with 11 goals and tied for the team lead in assists with six.

Wambach scored four times in the opening half of a match on June 20 against Korea to increase her goal total to 160. She broke Mia Hamm’s record of 158.

Huskers Return Home for Northern Illinois on Saturday

Posted on November 27, 2013

The Nebraska basketball team returns to Pinnacle Bank Arena following a nearly two-week absence, as the Huskers take on Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 30.

Tipoff is set for 12:05 p.m. and the matchup with the Huskies will be carried across the state on the 27-station Husker Sports Network with Kent Pavelka and Matt Davison calling all of the action. The game can be heard for free on Huskers.com and is available on the Huskers’ app on iOS or android devices.

Live video of Saturday’s game will also be available online on the Big Ten Digital Network (subscription required). For Saturday’s game, the broadcast will use the Husker Sports Network audio simulcast. To access, visit video.btn.com.

A limited number of tickets are available in the 200 and 300 Level sections with prices ranging from $7-$15. Visit Huskers.com or call 800-8-BIGRED for more information.

Saturday’s game with Northern Illinois is part of a doubleheader at Pinnacle Bank Arena, as the Husker women will take on Washington State at 5 p.m.

Nebraska (4-2) has had nearly a week off following a 73-65 win over Georgia in the final game of the Charleston Classic. The Huskers played some of their best basketball down the stretch, outscoring Georgia, 25-14 over the final 10 minutes, earning its first win over an SEC team since the 2004-05 season. Nebraska showed significant defensive improvement, holding Georgia to 43 percent shooting, including just 6-of-16 from the field in the final 10 minutes on Sunday.

The Huskers come into Saturday’s game averaging 76.8 points per game through the first six contests and feature seven players averaging at least eight points per game. Nebraska is eighth in the Big Ten in scoring offense and third in 3-point percentage (.374) entering Wednesday’s action.

Sophomore guard/forward Terran Petteway leads four Huskers in double figures at 16.7 points per game after he averaged just 3.1 points per game in 28 games at Texas Tech. He averaged 22.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game at the Charleston Classic last week. Sophomore forward Shavon Shields is averaging 13.3 ppg, while ranking first or second on the team in scoring (2nd), rebounding (5.3 rpg, 2nd), assists (1.7, 1st) and blocked shots (0.7, 2nd).

Northern Illinois comes to Lincoln with a 2-3 record following a 111-61 victory over St. Joseph’s (Ind.) last Sunday. Darrell Bowie had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead four Huskies in double figures.

TOYS FOR TOTS DAY IS SATURDAY

Husker fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys to the game, and cash donations for the cause will also be accepted. The Marines will be stationed near entrances throughout Pinnacle Bank Arena to accept donations that will brighten the holiday season for needy children.

Collections will also be taken at Friday’s football game versus Iowa, and Saturday’s women’s basketball (vs. Washington State) and volleyball (vs. Penn State) games.

Huskers Head West for Stanford Duals

Posted on November 27, 2013

The No. 10 Nebraska wrestling team (2-0, 1-0 Big Ten) travels to Stanford, Calif. to face Utah Valley, No. 18 Stanford and CSU-Bakersfield on Saturday at Burnham Pavilion.

The three matchups are part of the Stanford Duals, which start at 1 p.m. CT. The Huskers open with Utah Valley in the second all-time meeting between the schools. NU looks to ride momentum from a near-perfect weekend where the Huskers won nine matches against South Dakota State en route to a 36-6 win on the road.

The Huskers grapple with No. 18 Stanford at 2:45 p.m. and will wrestle CSU-Bakersfield at 4:30 p.m.

Nebraska’s 2013 All-Americans Robert Kokesh (174) and James Green (157) are expected to start at the Stanford Duals. Green did not compete in South Dakota last weekend, but Kokesh earned his third pin of the season against the Jackrabbits.

No. 5 Jake Sueflohn is projected to start at 149 pounds for the Huskers in addition to Tim Lambert (No. 15 at 125), Colton McCrystal (133), Anthony Abidin (141) and Collin Jensen (HWT).

Nebraska could start multiple wrestlers at 165, 184 and 197 pounds this weekend. At 165 pounds, No. 20 Austin Wilson or Micah Barnes will get the nod. Either TJ Dudley or Aaron Studebaker could see time at 184 pounds, while 197 is between Spencer Johnson and Caleb Kolb.

No. 10 Nebraska (2-0, 1-0) vs. Utah Valley (1-3)
Burnham Pavilion (1,400) • Stanford, Calif. • Saturday, Nov. 30 • 1 p.m. CT
Series History: Nebraska leads, 1-0-0
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 22-12, on Jan. 15, 2011, in Grand Prairie, Texas

No. 10 Nebraska (2-0, 1-0) vs. No. 18 Stanford (6-1)
Burnham Pavilion (1,400) • Stanford, Calif. • Saturday, Nov. 30 • 2:45 p.m. CT
Series History: Nebraska leads, 2-0-0
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 19-17, on Jan. 15, 2011, in Grand Prairie, Texas

No. 10 Nebraska (2-0, 1-0) vs. CSU-Bakersfield (2-1)
Burnham Pavilion (1,400) • Stanford, Calif. • Saturday, Nov. 30 • 4:30 p.m. CT
Series History: Nebraska leads, 4-1-0
Last Meeting: Nebraska lost, 14-27, on Feb. 12, 2000, in Bakersfield, Calif.

Huskers Conclude Preparations for Iowa

Posted on November 27, 2013

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its week of preparation for the BlackFriday showdown with Iowa practicing for just more than 90 minutes on Wednesday afternoon inside the Hawks Championship Center.

Head Coach Bo Pelini met with media members after practice, noting that the team has had a good short week of practice leading into Friday’s matchup with the Hawkeyes.

“We finished up the week well, I think our kids are looking forward to the game. I know we have a lot of friends and family in town, so it is going to be their job to keep that in perspective, enjoy their families but get ready to play football,” Pelini said. “We are looking forward to it. As far as injuries and who is starting, most of that will be a game-time decision.”

With Nebraska playing on Black Friday every year since Pelini has been here, Pelini noted that he isn’t going to change anything up in his short week of preparation for Friday’s showdown in the Hyvee Heroes game.

“Exactly the same formula, obviously you have to compact it a little bit more,” Pelini said. “Obviously, I have been through that a number of times in college and in the pros. I like the schedule we have built there and understand in a short week you can still get your work done.”

Taking a step away from football, earlier on Wednesday, members of the Husker football team took time out of their schedule to visit Lincoln area hospitals. Members of team visited Bryan LGH Hospital, St. Elizabeth’s Regional Medical Center, Madonna Rehabilitation Center and the Nebraska Heart Institute. The football team has visited area hospitals on the day before Thanksgiving each of the past several years.

Nebraska will hit the practice field again on Thursday for a short walk through.. The Huskers will host Iowa in the third annual Hyvee Heroes game on Friday at 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Hulton Excited To Begin New Chapter In Kearney

Posted on November 27, 2013

When he arrived in Kearney, Jim Hulton was reminded of home.

“I walked out of the hotel the first day and there were two tractors by the road with a for-sale sign on it,” said the newest head coach of the Tri-City Storm. “I broke out into a big smile because my dad restores old tractors; it was right up my alley.”

Hulton grew up on his parents’ farm on Wolf Island, a rural island located between Toronto and Montreal, just above the northern border between New York and Canada.

“It’s very unique,” Hulton said. “You have to take a 20-minute ferry ride to get there. It’s a largely rural farming community and I grew up on a small dairy farm. We milked about 30 cows and had about 200 acres of land so I was very much rooted in farm life growing up.”

The youngest of four boys, Hulton went to elementary school on the island but had to attend high school in the nearby city of Kingston.

“Every morning we caught a ferry at 8 a.m.,” said Hulton. “High school started at nine, we landed in Kingston at about8:30 and away we went. It was just a way of life. Some people in a big city ride a train or a metro, for us, we took a ferry.”

Kingston, a city with a population around 125,000, was also where Hulton played minor hockey and high school football.

“It was nice for us because we had the best of both worlds,” Hulton said. “You could get to the ‘big city’ if you wanted, but you had the tranquility of a small town and the peace of mind that comes with knowing all your neighbors.”

Growing up in a tight knit community, Hulton learned the value of family and now as a coach he continues to relay the message that family comes first.

“When you grow up in a community that small everybody rallies together; it’s like you have a huge extended family. I’ve got three older brothers and to this day we all remain very close. I have two incredibly supportive parents that looked after us. When I was growing up, everyone looked after each other and that’s a philosophy I believe in.”

Taking a job in Kearney has forced Hulton to part with his family for a short time, as his wife Kristina and two sons Jimmy and Lucas are back in Ontario, but he speaks with them every day and continues to be very involved in their lives from afar.

“I think the underlying thing is that sometimes we get so wrapped up in sports that we think it’s the end all be all but it’s not,” Hulton said. “I think your family and your faith come before everything. But I want our team to act like a family because when you have each other’s backs it can really help you collectively do some great things.”

A former assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers from 2008-11, Hulton said he never really had a set plan in the hockey world. After completing his sociology degree at York University in Toronto, his brother encouraged him to get into coaching.

“When I graduated I really didn’t have a plan for what I was going to do,” Hulton said. “I kind of bounced around but my oldest brother was heavily involved in minor hockey and strongly encouraged me to give back. I had taken so much out of the game, friendships and great experiences, so I helped coach a bantam travel team my first year.”

Before he knew it, Hulton was moving up the ranks as a junior coach in Ontario.

“My whole career I just kind of stumbled upon things,” Hulton said. “There was never really a set plan. I’d love to be able to say that I sat down one day and set out a trajectory, but it didn’t happen that way. I kind of stumbled and bumbled my way along and I didn’t get married until I was 34 so I was single and only had to worry about supporting myself. I could travel a lot of different places to coach.”

Hulton said one of his favorite places to coach was with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. He said Belleville and Kearney are similar size towns and this is where he’s comfortable.

“I much prefer when it only takes you 7-8 minutes to drive across town as opposed to being stuck in a traffic jam all the time,” Hulton said. “This is very much my type of community and I think it’s the perfect size community for junior hockey.”

The new coach will get his first taste of hockey in Kearney this weekend when the Storm host the Omaha Lancers on Friday and Saturday. Friday night’s game starts at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday night’s puck drops at 7:05.

Friday night Is Free Kids Friday, with kids ages 12-and-under receiving a free admission with the purchase of an adult ticket and Saturday night is the return of the popular Ugly Sweater Night.

Pelini Says He’s “Not Coaching to Save His Job”

Posted on November 27, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Bo Pelini says he’s “not coaching to save my job” when his Cornhuskers host Iowa in Friday’s regular-season finale in Lincoln.

Despite having never won fewer than nine games in his previous five seasons, Pelini has come under fire as Nebraska’s streak of not winning a conference championship stretches to 14 years.

Despite injury problems and youth on defense, the Huskers are in line for another nine-win season if they beat Iowa or win their bowl game.

Pelini said Monday he likes the direction of the program. Athletic director Shawn Eichorst has said his policy is to not comment on a coach’s performance during the season.

Pelini said he can look himself in the mirror and feel good about what he’s done for the program.

15th Annual Hoopfest Registration Open

Posted on November 27, 2013

KEARNEY, Neb. – Registration is currently open for the 15th Annual Mr. Basketball & Miss Basketball Hoopfest youth basketball tournament that will be held January 18-19, 2014 in Ravenna and Cairo.

The event will feature 32 boys third through eighth grade teams playing at Ravenna High School, and 32 girls teams in third through eighth grade playing at Centura High School. In the past teams teams from Omaha to Chadron have participated.

All teams are guaranteed three games during the Hoopfest with medals awarded to the top places in each division and experienced officials.

“I would encourage teams to register now to get a spot in the Hoopfest,” said Tournament Director Doug Koster. “Some of our events reach capacity a full three weeks before the deadline.”

The registration deadline for the Hoopfest is December 27th, 2013. Registration forms are available atmisterbasketball.com, or by contacting Doug Koster at (308) 237-4012.

With the Hoopfest continually selling out, it has become an added benefit to the economies of both Ravenna and Cairo.

“More than 1500 players and parents will be visiting Ravenna and Cairo this weekend, so it is much more than just a basketball event for the local businesses who will certainly see an influx of traffic,” said Koster.

NFL Picks, Fumbles Turning into TDs at Record Rate

Posted on November 26, 2013

NFL teams are turning turnovers directly into points at a record rate.

STATS says that 13.1 percent of interceptions and fumbles — more than one out of every eight — have been returned for touchdowns this season, the highest clip since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

There have been 48 pick-6s, the second most through any Week 12, behind only the 50 in 2012.

As the regular season winds into the stretch run and the playoffs approach, it’s clear that a positive turnover differential means as much as ever. The Kansas City Chiefs are 9-2 thanks in part to having 13 more takeaways than giveaways. The Seattle Seahawks are tied for second with a plus-11 differential, and they lead the NFL with a 10-1 record.