COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Texas didnt win the Big 12 Conference volleyball title this year. There was some debate whether the Longhorns should have gotten the No. 4 seed over the team that did win that league, Kansas. And Texas was on the verge of being eliminated in the regional semifinals, but fought off two match points to survive BYU.And yet it wasnt long into what turned into a 3-0 sweep Thursday of defending NCAA champion Nebraska that you could tell this was Texas full-throttle. Which made none of the above question marks really matter.Its just awesome to know I have the type of pin hitters I have. Theyre just a force to be reckoned with, Texas setter Chloe Collins said. I just love them so much.Nebraska swept Texas in the NCAA final last year, and then beat the Longhorns again 3-0 in August at the start of this season.But if you look at the recent history of the series before those two matches, it had tilted strongly toward Texas at 9-2 since 2008. That kind of Longhorns dominance was more what we saw Thursday.Ebony Nwanebu, who played two seasons at USC and was the national freshman of the year in 2013, transferred to Texas but had to redshirt last year with injury. Micaya White also had to sit out what would have been her freshman year in 2015 because she was injured.But with both of them this season, along with senior Paulina Prieto Cerame, the Longhorns hitters were indeed a force, as Collins said.And the Huskers simply didnt play the way that coach John Cook expected. They made uncharacteristic mistakes, like the time a set ball fell to the court with the hitters looking confused at each other.Cook said he thought the Huskers were the best defensive team in the country, and that he would have bet my house the Nebraska block wouldnt have been as ineffective as it was.Cook said after watching his top-seeded Huskers and No. 2 seed Minnesota lose in the final four -- not to mention No. 3 seed Wisconsin falling in the regional final -- he has to wonder if the brutal Big Ten schedule took a toll on all of them.For some reason, we were really undisciplined tonight, Cook said. I think it all filters back to we were trying too hard. We thought we had to make these super-human moves on these guys.The thing is, the Longhorns really can make you feel like you need something extraordinary to stop them. Nwanebu had 15 kills, Prieto Cerame 12, and White seven. At times, it just looked like they flat-out overpowered the Huskers.Texas coach Jerritt Elliott pointed out how, as good as Big 12 player of the year Amy Neal was last year for the Longhorns, she was undersized as a hitter at 5-foot-9.Now we replaced her with [6-1] Micaya, and you start seeing what we can do with a physical block, Elliott said. I thought our blocking tonight was really, really good.Texas also did a good job of keeping the ball away from Nebraskas Justine Wong-Orantes, whom Elliott said was the top passing libero in the country. That impacted Nebraskas ability to defend and to set up its offense. First-team All-American Kadie Rolfzen had six kills on 19 attacks, hitting .105. The only Nebraska player who finished in double-figure kills was last years final four most outstanding player, sophomore Mikaela Foecke.A lot will be on Foeckes shoulders next season, as the Huskers lose seniors Kadie and Amber Rolfzen, Wong-Orantes, and Andie Malloy.For the Nebraska-born Rolfzens, this was a tough way to finish their careers. But Kadie said last years NCAA title, won in Omaha, Nebraska, and this years Big Ten title are still wonderful highlights for her to always remember.Kadie seem very determined not to cry during the postmatch news conference, and almost made it. Until she was talking about how she grew up watching the Huskers and her idol, Jordan Larson, play and how great it was to have had the chance to wear Nebraska red.Dang it, she said as tears started to come. Ive always wanted to come here, and these last four years are the best years of my life.But it will be Texas that plays for the championship. Elliott compared this years team statistically to his 2012 squad, which won the most recent of Texas two national championships. This Texas team has had its ups and downs, but looks very formidable at the most important time in the season.We had a lot of self-confidence as a team going into it, Elliott said of Thursdays match. Ive been to a lot of final fours, and this is the calmest Ive been going into it. I just had a feeling with this group that they would perform at a high level tonight. And they proved that. Cheap Costa Rica Jerseys . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Cheap FC Borussia Dortmund Jerseys . 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TEMPE, Ariz. -- No one has played better defense for the Arizona Cardinals through two games than Tony Jefferson.The 24-year-old safety has 21 tackles, 18 of them unassisted. He has three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a recovered fumble.Not bad for a guy who scraped his way onto the Cardinals roster as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2013.I feel like Ive had to fight every year to be on the team and to make a statement, he said after practice Wednesday. I always have a big chip on my shoulder. I never get complacent, just try to take advantage of every opportunity I get.Most of the time, Jefferson is playing in the box, near the line of scrimmage, where he can blitz the passer, defend the tight end or just race to the middle of the play as it develops. Tyrann Mathieu spent a lot of time in the box last year, too, leading to an All-Pro selection. But Mathieu has played only free safety thus far while he works his way back from knee surgery.Jefferson acknowledges that its a position that allows him to make many plays.A lot of it has to do with scheme, he said. Coach Boettch (defensive coordinator James Boettcher) does a great job finding ways to use guys strengths. Hes let me be aggressive, attack, be physical if I want to be. And at the same time play man on tight ends and stuff. Im actually having a really good time. Im enjoying it right now. Its just all coming together.Jefferson had 10 tackles in the opener against New England and matched his career high with 11 tackles in Arizonas 40-7 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday.After the game, he mentioned the fact its a contract year for his improved play. But he downplayed that in the Wednesday interview.Obviously, I speak for anybody, you play well, you want to get paid, Jefferson said, but thats just a small portion of it. Obviously I want to win a championship. Obviously I want to be one of the best safeties in the league. It may sound crazy to other people ... but I have my own goals.Coach Bruce Arians has been around a long time and has seen how playying in a contract year seems to rev up a players performance.ddddddddddddThey always see those dollar signs, he said. Its an amazing thing.When Jefferson was a restricted free agent last summer, the Cardinals tendered him the lowest possible offer -- about $1.7 million a year. Nobody matched it and he was left in a take-it-or-leave-it situation.Teams dont even like messing with the restricted stuff, Jefferson said. They can low-ball out and you either take it or you dont. I hated that whole process. Hopefully things work out to where Im here and dont worry about hitting free agency.Jefferson has played in every game since he made the roster three seasons ago, but only sporadically as a starter.When the Cardinals chose not to re-sign Rashad Johnson this offseason, the starting safety job was his.It means a lot. Ive always wanted to be a starter, Jefferson said. Thats why Im here. Im not going to not take advantage of the opportunity. Im going to do what I can to keep it, do what I can to build from it.Mathieu has watched Jefferson develop through the years.Ive always thought Tony played well, even going back to our rookie year, or second year, him just continuing making strides, Mathieu said. Ive always thought he was a good tackler. Ive always thought he was underrated in coverage. I think hes just really putting it all together this year. Hes been really focused. Its a big year for him, a contract year.When Mathieu returns to his do-everything role, Jefferson doesnt expect his playmaking to slow down.I dont ever fathom the fact of me being on the field, Im going to make less plays, he said. When Im on the field, Im looking to make the most plays I can and have the same mindset whether Im playing d-line, d-end, safety, corner. It doesnt matter. When Im on the field, I expect to make plays.The Cardinals (1-1) are at Buffalo on Sunday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '