Amber Rolfzen credits the doughnuts.
The Andes Mints ones from the new Hurts Donut in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Her new ritual this fall is heading to Hurts when Nebraska has a home volleyball weekend and indulging. It's working, too, notes the espnW volleyball player of the week, who averaged 4.0 kills per set on .560 hitting in Nebraska's victories over No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 3 Minnesota over the weekend.
"Amber was just in the zone all weekend," Nebraska coach John Cook said. "She made it look easy."
After fueling up on Andes Mints doughnuts or occasionally the peanut butter cup ones, and sometimes adding in the Nutella kind, Rolfzen insists she plays better.
"I actually didn't go the morning of the Ohio State match," Amber said, her voice trailing off about the one hiccup the Cornhuskers suffered in 2016.
A year ago just about to the day, the times weren't so sweet. Last Oct. 23 and 24, Nebraska fell to Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively, at home.
"I remember everything," Rolfzen said. "We didn't play very well against Minnesota and figured we had a chance to come back against Wisconsin, and the same thing happened. We had probably an hour and a half talk in the locker room. From there, we regrouped, refocused."
And never lost again in 2015. Nebraska won its fourth national title and, at 9-1 this year in the Big Ten, is alongside Penn State at the top of the conference.
Cook said that during the first half of last season Rolfzen's stats were average in the Big Ten, but now the middle blocker puts up an outstanding line in the nation's toughest conference.
"I trust myself and the reads I have every time," Rolfzen said.
Top-ranked Nebraska (18-1) left no doubt vs. the Badgers, sweeping them behind a career-high 16 kills and .609 hitting from Rolfzen. It was the Cornhuskers' third straight sweep of a top-five opponent.
"We definitely outserved them," Rolfzen said. "They weren't in system very often. When a team isn't in system that often, they're easy to read and to defend. We served really well, and that allowed the blockers to get in really good position and the setters to get in good position."
Sunday's match against Minnesota wasn't as easy -- Nebraska needed all five sets, with Rolfzen contributing 16 kills again to go with six blocks. The senior was also named Big Ten Player of the Week, an award her twin sister, Kadie, won last week. Kadie also plays at Nebraska.
"Minnesota ran a fast offense, probably the fastest we'll see all year," Amber Rolfzen said. "We adjusted to that and we did everything well, just like Friday. Staying calm the entire weekend, I think, got us the two wins."
As good as the Cornhuskers are, Rolfzen knows that taking a night off in the Big Ten isn't an option. Nebraska hosts Illinois and Northwestern this weekend, will play Minnesota on the road, and still has two games against Penn State, the first on Nov. 4.
"This is the highest level of any team I've ever played on," Rolfzen said. "We know what it takes to win the national championship. Now we have to do it again."