NORMAN, Okla. — It wasn't easy. But maybe this was exactly the kind of win that the Nebraska volleyball team needed.

The 10th-ranked Huskers snapped their first two-match skid in six seasons Wednesday night by pulling out a wild 17-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-27, 15-10 victory over Oklahoma.

Nebraska, winners of 24 straight matches over OU since 1997, hadn't played a five-set match against the Sooners since 1988. But by winning the marathon battle, the Huskers avoided dropping three in a row for the first time in 12 years.

“That was a gutsy effort by the Huskers,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “These are the matches we need so we can figure out how hard we're going to have to compete.

“This is what helps teams start bonding, and they can help make a team great.”

Middle blockers Kori Cooper and Brooke Delano had a big hand in the win for Nebraska (10-4, 3-2 Big 12).

Cooper had a season-best 13 kills, one off her career high, while Delano matched her career high with 14 kills. Cooper finished with a .462 hitting percentage, and Delano ended up at .414.

“I'm really proud of the way this team fought, and the way we came out and faced adversity without any fear,” Cooper said.

Nebraska's serving woes again were an issue from the start.

Despite hitting .167 in the first set, Oklahoma never trailed. Five of the Sooners' points in that set came off NU service errors, and the Huskers also erred on seven attacks while struggling badly.

Late in the opener, starters Sydney Anderson, Tara Mueller and Hannah Werth all watched from the bench. Desperate to give his team a spark, Cook shuffled his lineup dramatically, putting in Jessica Yanz at setter and Kaitlynn James at outside hitter.

“We were just zombies in game one,” Cook said, “so I got some other kids in there to see if they wanted to play.”

Nebraska went back to its regular rotation in set two, and the motivated Huskers jumped out to a big lead. But Oklahoma battled its way back into the set before NU held on.

The Huskers easily won set three and OU held off NU in set four.

In the finale, Delano's back-row defense was critical for Nebraska as the Bellevue West graduate came up with a number of critical saves while serving. The match ended on a kill by Cooper, and Nebraska celebrated its first win since Sept. 19 at Colorado. NU's next match is Oct. 7 against Kansas at the NU Coliseum.

Nebraska (10-4, 3-2)..........17 26 25 25 15

Oklahoma (10-4, 3-2).........25 24 15 27 10

Nebraska (kills-aces-blocks): Anderson 6-2-0, Licht 14-0-3, Delano 14 0-4, Cooper 13-0-4, Mueller 5-3-3, Werth 17-0-3, Banwarth 1-0-0, Root 0-0-0, Wilberger 0-0-0, Mancuso 0-0-0, Pendergast 0-0-0, Yanz 0-0-0, James 1-0-0.

Oklahoma (kills-aces-blocks): Barker 6-0-2, Boulavsky 14-0-4, Laplante 4-0-1, Higgins 14-2-0, Ekwerekwu 7-0-5, Freudenrich 10-0-4, Fernanda 0-1-0, Edwards 0-0-0, Alva 0-0-0, Reynolds 1-0-0, Disarro 0-0-0.

Set assists: Nebraska 70 (Anderson 54, Banwarth 10, Yanz 2); Oklahoma 51 (Barker 42). A: 2,046.