
Nebraska’s Nicklin Hames lifts a shot in the fourth set against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS — She started for her high school team when she was in the eighth grade.
So, yeah, Nebraska freshman setter Nicklin Hames perhaps was destined to play volleyball at extraordinarily high levels.
And, no, she wasn't nervous in advance of sixth-ranked Nebraska's stunning five-set triumph (22-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-11) Thursday night against No. 3 Illinois in the NCAA Final Four before 17,808 spectators at the Target Center.
She showed no nerves at all throughout the night, even when Nebraska (29-6) was down two sets to none.
She's convincing when she tells you that, and it's hard not to believe her. If you saw this battle, you understand. You never would've guessed she was a freshman by watching her play.
And look at her now. She's a win against top-ranked Stanford from guiding a national championship team as a rookie.
"I'm just confident in myself," said Hames, who helped lead Webb School in Knoxville, Tennessee, to five state championships. "I'm confident in this team and didn't have any nerves because of that."
She was a four-year captain at Webb. This season, she's happy to defer to Nebraska seniors Mikaela Foecke and Kenzie Maloney in that regard. But it's easy to imagine Hames someday becoming a Husker captain.
Especially after nights like Thursday.
She guided Nebraska to a .251 hitting percentage, 14 points under its season average. But you knew this match was going to be a grind. Illinois (32-4) had split matches with NU this season and held the Huskers to .099 hitting Oct. 27.
That was Nebraska's last loss. It's won 13 straight matches in part because the Huskers found better offensive rhythm late in the season. In their last eight matches, they're hitting at a .341 clip.
Yes, that's with a rookie at the controls. But Hames thinks at a higher level than a typical rookie, probably because she's the daughter of a coach. Her mother, Chris, was the head coach at Webb.
Her mom watched her daughter go head-to-head with Illinois senior Jordyn Poulter, the Big Ten co-setter of the year. If the Illini had an advantage at the position, it was hard to discern.
Hames really had no major rough patches. She maybe was at her best in the fourth set. Her back set to Lauren Stivrins led to a kill that made it 19-18 Nebraska. After Poulter's service error gave the Huskers a 22-20 lead, Hames served an ace and pumped her fist.
Nebraska had the momentum after dropping those first two sets. The Huskers were 0-7 in national semifinals and finals when trailing by two sets. That streak is over, thanks to some steely nerves from several players.
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"Not everyone is going to make a perfect play every time," Hames said. "We started to get really good swings in the last couple (sets)."
"How we've played these last 12 matches, I was really confident going into that last game," she added. "We had all the momentum."
Meanwhile, Poulter was her usual strong self as Illinois hit .237 against a Nebraska team that allowed opponents to hit only .136 on the season, the lowest mark in the nation.
"Jordyn's pobably the best setter in the country," said Nebraska assistant coach Jaylen Reyes, who coordinates the Huskers' defense. "She does such a good job of being able to keep their team in rhythm and in a good spot offensively even when maybe the pass isn't perfect. Even when Jordyn's off the net they can still play with pace. She can set the ball fast and they can get on the ball fast."
Nebraska, though, is a rare breed defensively. Husker players take it personally when a team hits for a high average.
They'll have their hands full Saturday night against Stanford (33-1).
The Cardinal played exceptionally well in dismantling BYU in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-18, behind 6-foot-6 attackers Kathryn Plummer (12 kills) and Audriana Fitzmorris (11). Plummer, a junior, is a two-time Pac-12 player of the year. She hits a heavy ball. She changes speeds. She'll bring the hammer from the back row. In short, she's a force.
Stanford also throws up one heck of a wall at the net, with quick-jumping Tami Alade, a 6-2 senior, causing all kinds of problems for hitters.
Cook has teams like Stanford in mind when he recruits and trains his athletes.
"The reason why coach (Cook) likes hiring men's assistants is he wants to train the girls like dudes," Reyes said. "When we watch video of blocking, when we watch video of attacking, I would say 95 percent of the time we're watching men play. I'm talking USA, Serbia, Italy, Brazil — the best players in the world. We're trying to emulate what they do."
If it sounds like a lot of intensity, well, it is exactly that.
Just not everyone lets it affect them.
"It was honestly all I expected," Hames said of Thursday's match, before adding, "I didn't think we'd go down 0-2 at the start. But I think our team showed a lot of resilience. We fought for it, and I think that's why we won that game."
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Jazz Sweet (12), Lexi Sun (10) and Mikaela Foecke (2) celebrate the Huskers' come-from-behind win in five sets over Illinois during the NCAA volleyball Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Looking on are Kenzie Maloney (left) and Nicklin Hames (1).
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Capri Davis (9) gets a high-five after scoring a point in the fifth set against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA volleyball Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska players celebrate their come-from-behind win over Illinois in five sets against the Illini on Thursday during the Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Jazz Sweet (12), Lexi Sun (10), Lauren Stivrins (26) and Mikaela Foecke (2) celebrate the Huskers' come-from-behind five-set win over Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA volleyball Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Kenzie Maloney (11) high-fives her teammates during player introductions Thursday before an NCAA volleyball Final Four match at the Target Center in Minneapolis
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke attempts a kill in the first set against Illinois on Thursday during an NCAA volleyball national semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) watches as teammate Kenzie Maloney (11) lifts a pass in the first set against Illinois on Thursday during an NCAA volleyball national semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Illinois’ Jordyn Poulter lifts a pass in the first set against Nebraska on Thursday during an NCAA Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) goes for a kill against Illinois’ Ashlyn Fleming (12) as Huskers teammates Nicklin Hames (left) and Kenzie Maloney look on in the first set on Dec. 13 during an NCAA Tournament semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Illinois head coach Chris Tamas (left) greets Nebraska head coach John Cook as Jen Tamas looks on before Nebraska and Illinois played at the Final Four in 2018.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) watches as Kenzie Maloney (11) makes a pass in the first set against Illinois on Thursday during an NCAA volleyball national semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins (26) goes up for a kill against Illinois’ Beth Prince (8) as teammate Mikaela Foecke looks on in the first set Thursday during an NCAA volleyball national semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lauren Stivrins (26) attempts a kill against Illinois’ Beth Prince (8) in the first set Thursday during an NCAA volleyball national semifinal at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska volleyball fans Tammy Weber (right) of North Platte and Todd Shane of O'Neill joined hundreds of fellow Husker fans cramming into the Pourhouse for a pep rally Thursday before NU's NCAA Final Four match against Illinois at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

The Big Red Express and Nebraska cheerleaders perform for hundreds of Huskers fans who crammed into the Pourhouse for a pep rally on Thursday before the NCAA volleyball national semifinal against Illinois at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) serves in the third set against Illinois on Thursday during a Final Four match at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Thursday's NCAA volleyball semifinals were sold out at the Target Center. in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun (10) elevates for an attempted kill in the first set against Illinois on Thursday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The Huskers won the national semifinal 3-2.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Nicklin Hames lifts a shot in the fourth set against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Megan Miller (3) gets love from her teammates after a service ace in the fourth set against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA national semifinals at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun (10) leaps to keep a ball in play against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) rises up for an attempted kill against Illinois in the first set as teammate Kenzie Maloney looks on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) elevates against the Illinois defense for a first-set kill as teammate Lauren Stivrins looks on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun elevates for a kill attempt in the first set against Illinois on Thursday during the Final Four in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun (10) digs out an Illinois shot in the fourth set on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four Target Center in Minneapolis. The Huskers finished the season ranked No. 2, one spot ahead of the Illini.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Jazz Sweet (12) and Callie Schwarzenbach (25) defend against Illinois’ Jacqueline Quade in the third set on Thursday during a Final Four match in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Mikaela Foecke (2) goes for a kill against Illinois’ Ashlyn Fleming (12) as Huskers teammates Nicklin Hames (left) and Kenzie Maloney (11) look on in the first set on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun (10) and Callie Schwarzenbach (25) walk off the court with teammates Sami Slaughter (4) and Mari Kurkova (7) after defeating Illinois in a come-from-behind five-setter on Thursday in the NCAA Final Four at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun (10) and her teammates prepare to take on Illinois in the first set on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Nicklin Hames (1) leads off the Huskers' serving in the first set against Illinois on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska’s Lexi Sun serves in the first set against Illinois at the NCAA Final Four in 2018. Sun, from Encinitas, California, will have a homecoming of sorts this weekend as the Husker play in San Diego.
Nebraska volleyball vs. Illinois, 12.13

Nebraska (bottom) and Illinois players react after the five-set win by Huskers who came from behind, down two sets to win on Thursday during the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com. On Twitter @HuskerExtraSip.