NCAA volleyball, Day 4: Eight matches set in Sweet 16, with six Big Ten still standing

The Big Ten, which has 14 teams now, has nine make the NCAA field ... even one with a sub .500 mark in conference play.

But the selection committee looks pretty smart so far because six teams are still alive. And now the tournament gets more interesting.

Until now there have only been three 3-2 matches in the first and second rounds. Hawaii beat TCU 3-2 and Marquette beat Norther Iowa 3-2 in the first round of the Des Moines regional.

And UCLA, after falling bhind 2-0, beat Mchigan 3-2.

Only three top 16 seeds have lost: No. 8 Stanford, No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 15 Louisville.

But Friday, seeded teams will meet in five of the eight matches. ... And a few more should go five sets.

Big Ten teams went 9-0 in the first round, 6-3 in the next. Add that up, and they are 15-3 so far.

It still looks possible three of them could make the Final Four (definitely not four because the San Diego does not have a Big Ten team.)

Here's a look at Friday's matches with Big Ten teams:

Lexington, Ky., regional

Nebraska, No. 4 overall seed, 28-4 vs. No. 13 BYU, No. 13, 28-3

Matchup: The Huskers are playing in their 21st regional in 22 years, so this is familiar territory. So is BYU. The Cougars beat Nebraska 3-0 last year in the final of the Seattle regional and they went all the way to the NCAA title game before losing to Penn State. Five BYU starters are back.

Nebraska has won 12 matches in a row and is 7-3 all-time vs. BYU. Top players for the Huskers are junior outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen who averages 3.26 kills and 2.79 digs per set. Teammate Justine Wong-Orantes was the Big Ten's defensive player of the year and averages 4.44 digs.

BYU has a superstar in Alexis Gray who averages 5.22 kills per set -- second in the nation -- and hits .302. She was the West Coast Conference player of the year for the second time. Teammate Amy Boswell, a middle blocker, averages 1.4 blocks per set.

Nebraska closed regular-season play with a big win over Penn State.

Advantage: Huskers, revenge factor comes into play a bit too

Ohio State, No. 12 seed, 25-9 vs. Washington, No. 5 seed, 30-2

Matchup: Waahington has won 30 or more matches for three straight season. Huskies could complain about being seeded so low. They were Pac-12 co-champions with No. 1 overall seed USC and are rated No. 1 in country in latest American Volleyball Coaches Association's poll. ... Only losses are toe USC 3-1 and Stanford 3-2.

Huskies have first-year coach in Keegan Cook. They are led by Lianna Sybeldon whose hitting percentage of .465 is NCAA's best. She also averages 1.37 blocks per set. Courtney Schwan leads team with 2.94 kills per set; Cassie Strickland averages 4.32 digs per set.

Washington's team hitting percentage of .316 is best in D-I; foes are hitting .146, fifth worst. Huskies are on 11-match winning streak.

Ohio State opened season 18-2 but has gone 7-7 since. Top players are Taylor Sandbothe who averages 2.99 kills and 1.25 blocks per set and hits at a .371 clip ... Teammate Elizabeth Campbell averages 3.63 kills per set.

Buckeyes took Gophers to five sets twice.

This is Ohio State's fourth Sweet 16 since 2010. ... The Buckeyes are 2-2 all-time vs. the Huskies.

Advantage: Huskies.

Austin regional

Wisconsin, No. 6 seed, 26-6 vs. Florida, No. 11, 24-6

The Badgers have won 14 matches in a row. ... Its a team that may be peaking, has six freshman and two transfer on team of 14. ... Third-year coach Kelly Sheffield has Badgers in third Sweet 16.

Wisconsin was Big Ten champ last year, but lost in region final to Penn State, eventual NCAA champion. ... Key players are junior setter Lauren Carlini, Big Ten setter of the year who averages 11.9 assists per set; Lauryn Gillis who averages 3.12 kills per set and Kelli Bates who averages 3.08

Florida ia 4-0 all-time vs. Wisconsin

Its .316 hitting percent is second best in the nation. Rhamat Alhassan hits .424 and her 1.64 blocks per second is second in the nation. Simone Antwi hits .387. ... Coach Mary Wise is 63-24 in NCAA matches.

Advantage: Wisconsin

Des Moines regional

Gophers, No. 2 seed, vs. unseeded Illinois

Illini can't be overlooked. Lost only 3-2 to Gophers at Sports Pav. Have big hitter in Jocelynn Birks. But Minnesota should have more weapons

Penn St., No. 7 seed, vs. unseeded Hawaii

Rainbow Wahine have only one loss this season but Nittany Lions are two-time defending champions and want to keep playing. Coach Russ Rose will figure out a way to win one more match.