Mueller's passing helps NU in winning streak

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BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star

Tara Mueller’s title may read, “outside hitter,” but her job description goes much further.

Coinciding with Nebraska’s five-match winning streak is the decision by head coach John Cook to give Mueller more responsibility in passing. And although her hitting numbers have fallen as a result, the end result for Nebraska has been some much needed stability.

The Huskers (14-4, 7-2) have climbed back to No. 5 in the polls, and with a win tonight against No. 14 Iowa State, they would finish the first half of Big 12 play alone in second place.

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Tara Mueller reaches for the ball during a match against KU on Oct. 7. (LJS file)

Tara Mueller reaches for the ball during a match against KU on Oct. 7. (LJS file)

“I feel like we’ve all been slowly progressing,” said Mueller, who emerged as a second-team All-American last season.

“My passing is something I’ve been working really hard on,” she added. “I need to be solid and consistent for this team in that area.”

You could say “pass first” has become Mueller’s personal catch phrase. She’s involved in passing in all six rotations, a big responsibility that Jordan Larson carried last season.

For Mueller, it means finishing the pass, and then racing outside to get in a proper attacking position.

Nebraska began the year with freshman Hannah Werth in that role, but what Cook saw happen at Texas A&M changed that. The Aggies successfully exploited NU’s freshmen, Werth and Gina Mancuso, who were side-by-side as passers in two rotations.

The answer was to flip Werth and Mueller at the outside hitter spots. Since then, Nebraska’s overall passing has been “much better,” Cook said, and Mueller has slowly evolved into handling the added responsibility.

“Mentally, it’s a bigger load to carry,” he said, “and when you first go to it, it can affect all your skills. Each week, though, she’s getting better and better.”

At the same time, Nebraska has regained some swagger. Wins at home over Kansas and Kansas State built some confidence, which only grew last week during road victories at Baylor and Missouri.

Iowa State (15-3, 7-2) has had its own turnaround, winning six straight after back-to-back road defeats at Texas and Baylor.

Coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, an All-American at Nebraska, has three Nebraska natives — sophomores Caitlin Mahoney and Kelsey Petersen, and freshman Jamie Straube — in her lineup. Iowa State is led by senior Kaylee Manns and juniors Ashley Mass and Victoria Henson.

As a team, the Cyclones rank just ahead of Nebraska in every major category and lead the league in opponent hitting percentage.

“They’ve got a great setter, a libero and an outside hitter who can dominate,” Cook said. “It’s going to be our challenge to neutralize that.”

With two defensive-oriented teams, a big key will be minimizing errors, something the Huskers have focused on since the nightmare week of last month.

Nebraska’s hitting percentage has climbed from .225 to .242, even as Mueller’s own numbers have slipped a bit. The junior from Scottsdale, Ariz., was averaging 3.5 kills per set on .201 hitting before the current winning streak, where her numbers are 2.3 and .189.

Werth, meanwhile, has led NU in kills in all five matches, and numbers aside, Cook says he sees something different in the Huskers as a team.

With the wins came confidence, but before that, the Huskers better defined their roles as players and as leaders.

For Mueller, that means inspiring her teammates in the gym and in the weight room. On the court, it means doing only what she can do to help the team.

“We defined that role, and I think that’s been a big relief for her,” Cook said. “As opposed to four weeks ago, I like where we’re at right now.”

Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.