Boxscore -- UNO 3, Truman 2
OMAHA, Neb. – The UNO volleyball team celebrated Senior Night in fine fashion on Saturday, upsetting No. 16 Truman 3-2 at Sapp Fieldhouse. The nationally-ranked Bulldogs were no match for the Maverick defense, as Nebraska-Omaha put up 15 team blocks and 104 digs – both season highs – to take the match 25-10, 25-18, 17-25, 20-25, 15-11. With the win, the Mavericks improve 17-14 (7-12 MIAA), while TSU drops to 23-7 (12-6 MIAA).
Senior outside hitter Kayla Uhing was outstanding in her final home match, tallying 15 kills, a career-high 23 digs and four blocks for her 15th double-double of the year. Sophomore outside hitter Natalie Ebke equaled Uhing's numbers, notching 15 kills and a career-best 23 digs of her own, along with a trio of blocks. Junior middle blocker Brittany Hanssen also finished in double figures with 10 kills on .292 hitting, with a team-best three service aces and four blocks.
Freshman middle blocker Megan Hutson starred at the net for the Mavs, recording an astounding 11 blocks – a mark that was the highest of any UNO blocker this season and the most since Ellen Thommes' 14 against Nebraska-Kearney on Sept. 9, 2009. Freshman setter Miranda Wisehart also added five blocks in addition to her 43 set assists. Junior Angie Reicks totaled 26 digs for the night, and Wisehart added 16, helping the Mavericks to
Truman's Allison Barker led the Bulldogs with 13 kills and 24 digs, while libero Casey Bruno notched a match-high 28 digs. TSU was topped at the net by Emily Briseno, who had four blocks.
Nebraska-Omaha took control early with a complete effort in game one, hitting .333 as a team with just two attack errors while outblocking TSU 6-1. Hutson had five blocks alone, and Ebke had five kills with no errors to lead the offensive attack. The Mavericks raced out to a 16-4 lead with the help of a 9-0 run, then nearly held the Bulldogs to a single-digit total, allowing the visitors only 10 points in the set in a 25-10 win.
In the second game, UNO outhit Truman, .275 to .105. Uhing had six kills, while Ebke and Hanssen had three apiece, and Hutson contributed another pair of blocks. The Mavericks doubled up their lead at 10-5, never allowing TSU within more than five by the end of the set. Just as she did in the first game, Hanssen put down the game-ending kill to close it off at 25-18 and give UNO a 2-0 advantage.
Truman rallied back in game three, hitting .186 to challenge the Maverick defense and take a 25-17 win. TSU also nabbed a 25-20 victory in the fourth set, despite four UNO team blocks that were all orchestrated by Hutson.
Nebraska-Omaha, however, would not be outshined in its final performance of the year at Sapp Fieldhouse, as they limited the Bulldogs to a .000 team attack percentage in the decisive fifth set. Uhing had four kills, and Sorensen, Ebke and Hanssen each chipped in two, while UNO outdug TSU 22-12. With the score tied at 10-10, Uhing took back the lead on one swing, and Hanssen had her third ace of the night to make it 12-10. Sorensen pushed over two more kills, making it 14-11, and Uhing ended the match in dramatic fashion with her final kill of the night, grabbing the 15-11 win.
UNO returns to action on Friday, Nov. 12, traveling to Central Missouri for its final MIAA contest of the season. The match is set for 7 p.m. in Warrensburg, Mo.
