A lot of emotions are starting to come to a head for Creighton’s volleyball program as they gear up for a potentially monumental weekend in State College, Pennsylvania. Coming off of the high of reaching the Sweet 16 for the second straight season and fourth time overall, the Bluejays tackled the task of studying and taking their fall semester final exams while at the same time maintaining enough head space to focus on preparing to line up across the net from a Texas Longhorns team that has won the national championship in dominant fashion each of the previous two years.
Creighton takes on 2-Time defending champ Texas on Friday (Spomer / WBR)
The one thing working in Creighton’s favor through all of it is that there is no substitute for experience, and if there were such a thing as First Team All-Nursing in college sports, the Bluejays would have a pair of locks in senior teammates Norah Sis and Kendra Wait. They are no strangers to juggling their academic and athletic responsibilities. Earlier this year, they each got a healthy 3-4 hours of sleep ahead of a full day of clinicals after going five grueling sets in Lincoln against 2nd-ranked Nebraska. Three months later, they’re knocking out final exams before locking in on the Longhorns. Just another day, or in this case, week in the life.
“This week is always a grind,” Sis said. “[Kendra and I] were lucky enough in that we took all of our finals before we came here, but a lot of our teammates are still studying and will still be taking finals once we get back to the hotel, so it’s definitely a grind. But we’ve been doing that all semester. There are definitely busier weeks and lighter weeks throughout the semester, so I think we’re used to stuff like this. A lot of emotions, definitely, but it’ll feel really good to play tomorrow. We’re excited.”
Studying, Shmudying, Creighton’s Buzzing for Big Stage
Moments after dispatching Ole Miss in three sets last Friday night, Norah Sis — in true Norah-like “[volleyball] is life” form was chomping at the bit at the prospect of going head-to-head with the two-time defending champs. In the last two NCAA Tournaments, and through one weekend of this year’s event, no one has been able to survive the Longhorn labyrinth.
That has Creighton’s stars shaking, but with anticipation, not fear.
Kendra Wait is ready to go against Texas (Spomer / WBR)
“We’ve just really leaned into staying true to who we are,” Wait said. “We know if we can just go out there and be who we are point in and point out, then we can hang out there with any team in the nation. We’re just leaning into that. This week has been really fun. There has been a lot of energy in the gym, so we’re excited to bring that out tomorrow.”
The Bluejays are maintaining a realistic approach to the daunting path in front of them. It’s the Sweet 16 round of what many have called the deepest tournament in the history of the sport. Achieving greatness and making history in this year with so many talented, well-coached, veteran-laden teams still alive and kicking is going to present a stiff challenge whether it’s Texas or anyone else staring across the net at them.
“Any team that we play from here on out, any team that makes the Sweet 16 is an incredible team,” Sis said. “I think at this point anyone could beat anyone. It’s a matter of who shows up and who does the little things well. Anyone across the net, we’re going to be really excited for. There’s definitely been a big energy in the gym this week and today at practice. We’re all super excited. I feel like this week has just been dragging on. We’re so excited to play.”
Prior to the last two seasons, the closest Creighton has ever come to reaching the final weekend of the season was in 2016 when they survived three straight five-set thrillers to earn an Elite Eight matchup with the same Texas program they will be squaring off with on Friday.
“They were a really good team,” Elliott said of CU’s 2015 squad. “[Kirsten] always does a great job with this team. It’s kind of one of the fun teams. She’s one of the great coaches in this game that many other programs have tried to pick up, but she’s just happy being at Creighton, and it’s been great for our sport.
“They’re really good, and they’re good at every position. They’ve got great libero play. Their setter is super effective on the dump and runs a really good offense — she can set short string or long string, and obviously their slide hitting is elite. They keep it simple, but very effective.”
System Switch Pays Off for Texas
When the two teams hit the floor, Creighton will do so as the higher seeded team despite the fact that it’s the Longhorns who have won the last two national titles. That’s because Texas suffered a rare 3-match losing streak to fall to 12-6 on the season. They’ve since gone on a heater, winning their last eight matches heading into the Sweet 16.
Six of those wins have been sweeps and the only match in that streak that went the distance happened with 2023 NCAA Tournament M.O.P. and AVCA First Team All-American Madisen Skinner unavailable due to illness.
“They’re playing good volleyball,” Booth said. “I think part of it is they’re getting more balls to Skinner now that they’re using her out of the back row. But it’s not a one woman show. They’ve got formidable people in every position. We know that we’re playing a very good team. We think we’re a very good team. Both teams are going to do some great things. It’s going to be about who wins the small ball; first contacts are going to be really important for each team. Texas is playing very well. I think they’re hitting their stride, so we’re prepared for that, and it should be fun.”
The switch flipped with a difficult decision to go from running a 6-2 offense to a 5-1 system after the skid. That involved benching Ella Swindle — the 6-foot-3 second-year setter who orchestrated the offense for last season’s title team — in favor of Baylor transfer setter Averi Carlson.
Kirsten Bernthal Booth will have her Creighton team ready for Texas on Friday (Spomer / WBR)
Since the switch, Carlson is averaging 12.07 assists per set. With her running the show, Texas has gone from putting up 12.99 kills per set and a .259 attack percentage over the first 18 matches to 15.48 kills per set on a .349 hitting clip as a team during the 8-match winning streak.
“I think our contacts have been a key part of that,” Elliott said of the surge in production and efficiency. “I think the 6-2 was working really well for a period of time, and then we just got in trouble because we weren’t able to sub out of anything. There’s a reason a lot of people don’t run it. But at that point in time, I think one of the things was [Marianna Singletary] and [Ayden Ames] weren’t as experienced in getting the kill percentages that we need on the slide, and they’ve really improved their game. This is their first time playing in four-year college volleyball and their growth has been tremendous. I think they’ve put in the work. Their connection with Averi has been really good. You’ve got to respect them now. With Madi coming out of the back court and having that efficiency, it’s just — all the touches are there.”
Texas has seen nearly an across-the-board uptick in offensive production since the insertion of Carlson as the primary distributor.
Senior outside hitter Jenna Wenaas’ kills per set have gone from 2.25 over the first 18 matches to 2.33 over the past eight. Redshirt senior opposite Reagan Rutherford has gone from 2.50 kills per set to 2.69. Their duo of 6-foot-4 middles in Singletary and Ames are both north of two kills per set during the offensive resurgence with Singletary hitting .444 and Ames hitting .376. The big boost, though, has come from the six-rotation stud. Over those first 18 matches, Madi Skinner was averaging 3.72 kills per set on .226 hitting. Since then, she’s putting an astounding 6.05 kills per set on a .422 attack percentage.
That depth of high-level firepower will test a Creighton defense that currently ranks second in the nation in opponent hitting percentage behind only No. 1 overall seed Pitt.
“It’ll be up to both our back and front row,” Booth said of the challenge of defending Texas’ lethal attack. “We’ve got to make sure we’re putting up good, strong blocks. They hit very hard. I mean, they’ve got a lot of fast arms, so our block is going to be really critical to slow that down so our back court can make those digs. Then we’re going to have to make some special plays, and I think we’re good in dig transitions, so when we get that opportunity, we’ve got to put the ball
down.”
The showdown between the Bluejays and Longhorns is set for noon central time on Friday, and it will be televised on ESPN2.