Meghan McClure comes up with the kill for match point to secure Stanford's eighth national championship, the most all time in NCAA history. (1:03)

MINNEAPOLIS -- The "ghosts" of volleyball greats are always there in the locker room back home, reminders of how incredibly high the bar is set at Stanford. It would be easy for those pictures to just blend into the woodwork, which is why Stanford's Morgan Hentz sometimes reminds herself to really see them.

"We have pictures of every team that's been at Stanford, and on the walls the names of the players," Hentz said. "Sometimes when I'm sitting in the lounge area, I'll get up and look at everyone's pictures. It is quite amazing to see how many great women have gone through the program."

Hentz, a junior, is not done yet, but she and her teammates are already embedded forever in the Stanford volleyball legacy. With their thrilling 3-2 victory Saturday night over Nebraska, the Cardinal became the leader in women's Division I volleyball titles with eight, breaking their tie with Penn State.

They had to work extra hard for this one. For the first time since 2009, and the 10th time overall, the NCAA final went five sets. Nebraska got off to a 9-4 lead in the first set, but Stanford rallied. Then the Huskers saved five set points before falling 28-26. Nebraska prevailed 25-22 in the second set, then Stanford controlled the third 25-16. The Huskers got off to a 5-0 start in the fourth set, extended it to 9-1 and never looked back in winning 25-15.

That set up the pressure-cooker fifth set. Nebraska had more experience with those this season, going 3-2 in five-setters, including its victory over Illinois in Thursday's semifinals. Stanford was 1-1 in its five-setters in the regular season.

But Stanford prevailed 15-12 on Meghan McClure's back-row kill, which Nebraska challenged to no avail.

Stanford celebrates its eighth NCAA volleyball title, courtesy of a five-set win over Nebraska. David Berding/Icon Sportswire

Kathryn Plummer finished with 19 kills, and Holly Campbell had 15. Nebraska's Mikaela Foecke finished her brilliant career with 27 kills and 11 digs. Plummer and Hentz, who had 32 digs, shared the most outstanding player honor.

"Everyone talks a lot about chemistry, and I think this team has the best chemistry in the country," Hentz said. "It makes you just want to work harder for your teammates every day."

In a sport often defined by momentum shifts in matches, the momentum in winning volleyball championships is back with Stanford, which has taken two of the past three.

There was a lengthy stretch before their 2016 title, though, in which Stanford couldn't break through after winning the 2004 title. In 2006, '07 and '08, the Cardinal fell in the NCAA final. In 2010 and '13, they lost five-set matches in the regional final. In 2014, Stanford lost in the national semifinal to Penn State.

And in 2015, the Cardinal were swept on their home court in the second round by Loyola Marymount, one of the lower points in Stanford volleyball history. But help was on the way. A fantastic recruiting class would change everything in the fall of 2016.