Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. - Ellen Thommes set down the final two kills to clinch a hard-fought battle for the Mavericks as they defeated PIttsburg State in five sets, 22-25, 25-23, 29-27, 19-25, 15-13, Friday night in Sapp Fieldhouse.

No. 20 Nebraska-Omaha improved to 12-3 and 2-0 in the MIAA while 22nd-ranked PSU dropped to 9-4 and 1-1 in the league.

The win moved Maverick coach Rose Shires one win short of her 400th at UNO. She will go for the milestone Saturday at 5 p.m. against Southwest Baptist at Sapp Fieldhouse.

The match featured 40 ties and 16 lead changes and only one set was decided by more than three points. The final tie of the night came at 6-6 in the deciding set. Sara Kampschnieder broke that tie with a kill and then Thommes later forced match point with a kill at 14-12. Her kill two points later ended the contest.

Thommes had 19 kills and no errors for a .576 attack percentage while Kampschnieder added 18 kills and and Brittany Hanssen had 15.

Angie Reicks led the back row with 19 digs and three others reached double figures. Emily Myers had 13 to go with 58 assists for a double-double.

UNO blocked 11 shots while the Gorillas had just three. Hanssen and Lizzy Mach led in that category with six each.

The Gorillas closed out set one with a 3-0 run to break a 22-22 tie. The Mavericks had a streak of their own in the second set as their 6-0 run erased a 23-19 PSU lead and tied the match at one set each.

The third set featured 18 tie scores and four lead changes. After a 20-20 tie, UNO clawed its way to set point at 24-23. PSU fought off that point and three other set points before the Mavs finally took the set at 29-27.

The Gorillas were up, 18-16 in the fourth set and then a 5-0 run gave them a six-point lead. They held on to win by that same margain, the largest of the evening, to force set five.

Pamela Cartegena led the Gorillas with 24 kills and three others also eached double figures.