“I never thought I would play in Devaney again,” a gleeful Ally Batenhorst was heard saying ahead of the special match Nebraska had planned for Saturday. On August 16, a number of Husker alums returned to Lincoln to take part in the inaugural Alumni Match, to the joy of the fans. However, while Batenhorst & Co. made their way back to the “Bob”, Lexi Rodriguez couldn’t help but feel a little pang of sadness from halfway across the globe.

The former Huskers’ libero is a certified legend on the Nebraska campus. With 1897 career digs, Rodriguez has cemented herself as one of the all-time greats of the program and continues to bask in the fans’ love despite having left college after the 2024 NCAA season. Naturally, with the alums returning for the one-of-a-kind match this weekend, the Illinois native was feeling the blues over not being able to reunite with her former teammates.

In her TikTok upload from August 17, Rodriguez shared an old clip of hers to note how she felt while watching the Alumni Scrimmage. Captioned, “Can’t tell if this aged well or poorly,” the post bumped a clip from when she was still playing at Lincoln, where she can be seen pondering how to approach former head coach John Cook about organizing an alumni match. Goes on to show that Lexi had always predicted that such a match could be on the table, given the long list of players who have come out of the Huskers’ scintillating volleyball program.

Seeing that her divination was coming true, Rodriguez was justifiably feeling down, especially since she couldn’t partake in the high-octane preseason match. In her TikTok, the libero could be seen grimacing as she streamed the current group of Huskers stars taking on the alums at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. She even holds up her fingers to underscore how her heart was turning into pieces while watching her comrades lying out at the action at the Huskers’ home venue.

The Huskers have won 45 home matches in a row, dating back to Dec. 1, 2022, which is not only their longest winning streak since moving into the Devaney Center in 2013, but also the longest active streak in the nation. Goes without saying that Lexi Rodriguez would have killed to be a part of the exhibition match that was like the epitome of a thriller for any Nebraska volleyball fan. However, it’s not like she missed out on the Alumni Match for nothing.

The FIVB Women’s World Volleyball Championship will kick off in Thailand this Friday, and Team USA will take on three beefy opponents in the first week of the competition (Slovenia, Argentina, and Czechia). The squad for the international tournament was announced last month, with Rodriguez a part of the wide roster. While the chance they represent the Stars and Stripes does come with a greater sense of honor, Lexi still couldn’t avoid the feeling of misery looking at her alma mater organizing the special preseason scrimmage.

But maybe her absence was for the better.

With Lexi Rodriguez, the alums crumble

Coached by Renee Saunders, a member of the Huskers’ 1995 NCAA title-winning team, the alums returned to Lincoln to help the current athletes of the program get ready for the road ahead. The team comprised of the likes of Olympic gold medalist Jordan Larson, two-time All-American and national champion setter Kelly Natter, 2x All-American outside hitter Gina Mancuso-Prososki, and more. And yet, despite having such a stacked and experienced line-up, the former Nebraska stars couldn’t hold a candle to the current squad.

The Huskers defeated the alums 25-21, 25-14, 17-25, 25-22 in front a sold-out crowd of 8,371. While Harper Murray was elated to reunite with former teammate Ally Batenhorst, the opposite hitter wasn’t kind once the match started. Murray led the current roster with 12 kills to help trounce the alums. Coach Dani Busboom Kelly was justifiably all smiles after the match.

“The alums played great, we got tested and felt some pressure, and a lot of different players stepped up,” Kelly said after her team bagged the win, while also mentioning that she just might have a crack at helping the alums win next year should such an event takes place. A Lexi Rodriguez-Dani Busboom Kelly team-up next, maybe? Who knows!