In Nebraska’s November 20 match against Iowa, one player who truly stood out, despite battling an injury, was Harper Murray. After having her hand taped in the third set due to a broken nail, she remained the only player to reach double digits in kills, finishing with 11 while hitting an impressive .556. However, Nebraska’s head coach has recently shared his concerns, admitting that he and his volleyball stars could not hold common ground in an issue and it was Cook who had to step back.

In a recent video shared by the Nebraska Huskers’ YouTube channel, head coach John Cook was asked a rather interesting question by the host. They referred to Doctor Jay and Carney’s concern over Harper’s finger injury, inquiring whether Coach Cook was okay with players wearing acrylic nails—fake nails that tend to fall off during matches, causing blood to spill. The host even mentioned that Doctor Jay suggested that the legendary coach John Wooden wouldn’t have allowed it.

To this, John Cook candidly replied, “I agree with Doctor Jay and John Wooden’s right, and I don’t know why they do it.” He added with a touch of frustration, “I’ve tried fighting that battle and have not been successful.”

Coach Cook explained that despite his attempts, the players believe that if they “look good, they play good,” which seems to outweigh any concerns about their nails. As for Harper’s injury, Cook clarified, “As far as I know today, I didn’t know it was. I didn’t see anything. Her finger was taped up, but a lot of times their fingers are taped up for their block.” Yet, this is not the first time that Harper had a nail scare.

Back in July, Nebraska volleyball’s Fourth of July celebration took an unexpected turn after a social media post from Harper. The sophomore outside hitter, posted on her personal TikTok page a video showcasing her in a hospital room with bandages on the ring and pinky fingers on what appears to be her left hand. The video’s caption stated “when you end up at the ER on the 4th.”

Harper also asked to “pray for the fingers.” in the video. She added a comment to a reply on the video’s feed stating, “Yes I promise its not as bad as you think.” But she later clarified on X that the injury is not related to Fourth of July holiday activities. She said the bandages were for “an infection” in her nail. This condition is fairly common with people putting on artificial nails.

The infection that is most common is fungal infection under the plastic nails that are glued atop your real fingernails. One studyTrusted Source found that out of a group of 68 women who developed nail concerns after removing acrylic nails, 67 of them had fungal infections. If the acrylic nails become loose or aren’t put on properly, moisture can get trapped between them and the original fingernails. Fungi thrive in moist environments and may start to grow around the trapped water. In most cases, these infections aren’t serious and clear up with home remedies or antifungal medications. But one more concern is there with these nails.

Sometimes the acrylic nails can be snapped off taking a chunk of the natural nail with it. This is not impossible for Harper because understandably, it can very much happen while hitting the ball. In such cases, beauty experts suggest cleaning the area rinse with a mild antiseptic solution or disinfectant to prevent any further infection. If the nail is partially attached, a small piece of soft foam bandage or a non-adhesive wrap can be used to secure it in place and provide support while it heals. While an activity like playing volleyball might damage the nail further, Harper did not let that stop her from leading Nebraska to a fabulous performance.

The Huskers continue to shine as they recently swept Iowa (10-19, 4-13 B1G) with a dominant 25-9, 25-16, 25-17 victory, keeping their record flawless in Big Ten play and remaining undefeated all-time against Jim Barnes’s Hawkeyes. Nebraska now holds a commanding 40-0 lead in the all-time series.

The team took control early in both the first and third sets, overpowering Iowa with a 50-25 kill advantage, even though they had eight fewer attacks. While there was a rare lapse in serve receive for the Huskers, allowing Iowa to notch five aces, Nebraska quickly responded with four aces of their own. While Nebraska’s stars may not be sweating over the nail dilemma, their upcoming match has definitely got even Captain Lexi on high alert!

John Cook’s on alert for the next match!

You heard it right! For Nebraska volleyball fans, this Saturday is shaping up to be a big one. After sweeping Wisconsin earlier on the road, the Huskers are set to host the Badgers on their home turf this weekend. With a hot streak burning bright, fans are buzzing to see if Cook’s squad can keep that momentum going in Lincoln. However, for Lexi Rodriguez, the team’s libero and co-captain, it’s not a done deal yet.

When the Nebraska team faced Wisconsin at the UW Field House, many expected the Badgers to extend their 11-year home win streak. But in an incredible turn of events, Rodriguez and her teammates pulled off what many considered a miracle, toppling Wisconsin on their home court. Yet Rodriguez knows that victory only fuels the Badgers’ fire for revenge in this upcoming clash. She’s fully aware of how much tougher the next match will be.

Sitting down with the press, Rodriguez shared insights into how the Huskers are gearing up for a rematch with the sixth-ranked Badgers. She’s confident that it will be another thrilling battle. “We’re really preparing for another hard matchup,” Rodriguez remarked when asked about the likelihood of repeating the last win.

“Just because we beat them the first time doesn’t mean that it’s like we’re going to do it again.” She continued with determination, saying, “It’s gonna be a battle. They’re a great team… they’re going to make adjustments from last game, so we got to be prepared.” With that in mind, Rodriguez made it clear that the Huskers are studying their previous encounter closely, prepping for a long, hard-fought match.