Sterling’s Lexi Rodriguez sets Nebraska’s all-time digs record in semifinal loss

College volleyball

Sterling’s Lexi Rodriguez sets Nebraska digs record: Sterling High School graduate Lexi Rodriguez wrapped up a highly decorated and stellar career at Nebraska by setting the school’s all-time digs mark in her final game with the Cornhuskers.

No. 3 Nebraska fell to No. 2 Penn State on Thursday in a highly competitive, 23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-13 match in the NCAA semifinals in front of a crowd of 21,726 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. It was the largest crowd to ever attend an indoor NCAA volleyball match.

Rodriguez had 15 digs to break the career school record of 1,890 held by Justine Wong-Orantes. Rodriguez finished her career with 1,897 digs.

The four-time All-American also increased her total to 280 career digs in the NCAA Tournament, finishing her career with the most postseason digs in school history. She was also the first libero to be named an American Volleyball Coaches Association Region Player of the Year and is a finalist for the AVCA National Player of the Year.

“I’m just so grateful for everyone,” an emotional Rodriguez said in the post-match press conference. “And I’ll say it for my entire life, that this program was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Penn State will face No. 4 Louisville in the NCAA Final on Sunday at 2 p.m.