"It's the Chinese symbol for synergy. It means 'a coming together of the forces,' " Nebraska middle blocker Jenny Kropp said.

Nebraska stayed true to that theme and its goal of winning the Division I Women's Volleyball Championship crown for the second time in program history. The Cornhuskers did just that, defeating a tenacious Wisconsin squad, 15-9, 9-15, 7-15, 15-2, 15-9, December 16 in Richmond, Virginia. They finished 34-0 and are only the second championship team to finish with an unblemished record.

The championship match seesawed between the two teams and their different styles of play. Nebraska's size at the net was countered by Wisconsin's athleticism. Even without Big Ten Conference freshman of the year Claudia Rodriguez, who suffered a shoulder injury in the semifinal match against Southern California, Wisconsin proved itself a worthy opponent.

Nebraska's offensive duo of national player of the year Greichaly Cepero and outside hitter Laura Pilakowski bombarded the Wisconsin defense in the first game and produced an impressive .426 hitting clip. The Badgers' offense had a slow start and could not counter the Cornhuskers' effort.

The Badgers found a solution in Big Ten player of the year Sherisa Livingston, who took charge at the middle position and led Wisconsin's resurgence. Nebraska's defense, which had shut down Hawaii in the semifinal match, was disrupted by Livingston's stellar play and setter Lizzy Fitzgerald's balanced distribution of the ball.

Down two games to one, Nebraska coach John Cook changed his rotation and focused on establishing a presence in the middle, which helped lead to a 15-2 victory.

The decisive game five featured Holmquist's dominance and Cepero's knack for keeping Wisconsin's defense off balance. Kim Behrand's strategic serving helped solidify the lead and the title.

Cook and his players said a lot of Nebraska's success in the tournament had to do with surviving a five-game match with first-round opponent South Carolina.

"We thought we'd play an easy team in the first round and win," said Cepero. "But after that, we knew we'd have to play hard every game of the tournament."

Cepero was named the most outstanding player of the tournament and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Pilakowski and Holmquist. Livingston and Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, and Hawaii's Lily Kahumoku also were named.

Championship