Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Boxscore (PDF/HTML)
Boxscore (PDF/HTML)

OMAHA, Neb. -- The UNO volleyball team dropped a pair of matches on the final day of the UNO Showcase on Saturday, falling 3-1 to Northern State and 3-2 to Nebraska-Kearney. The Mavericks finished with set scores of 23-25, 26-24, 25-23 and 14-25 against NSU in the afternoon, followed by the tournament finale against UNK at 25-21, 9-25, 25-19, 16-25 and 9-15. Nebraska Omaha is now 1-6 on the year.

MATCH 1 -- NORTHERN STATE 3, UNO 1
Junior outside hitter Natalie Ebke led UNO with a season-high-tying 17 kills in the first match, along with nine digs and three blocks. Junior middle blocker Lizzy Mach (12) and senior middle blocker Brittany Hanssen (10) also finished with double-figure kills, while sophomore defensive specialist Amy Roberts contributed a team-leading 13 digs. Senior setter Emily Myers also had a double-double, tallying 40 assists and 12 digs, and Hanssen chipped in a team-best six blocks for the day.

Northern State had three hitters in double figures: Carli Peterson (15), Konefesi Vaisigano (13) and Kaili Aiono (12). Peterson hit .324 for the afternoon, and Vaisigano chipped in a .345 performance.

Facing a two-set deficit after NSU took the first two games 25-23 and 26-24, UNO rallied in the third set to take a 25-23 win and avoid the sweep. But the Wolves came back in the fourth game to hold the Mavs to .000 team hitting, finishing with a 25-14 set win and the match victory at 3-1.

MATCH 2 – UNK 3, UNO 2
Ebke grabbed her third double-double of the year with a team-leading 12 kills and 11 digs against UNK, while sophomore outside hitter Abby Sorensen also got a double-double – the first of her career – with 10 kills and a career-best 12 digs. Junior outside hitter Sydney Fleege reached double-figure hitting as well, finishing with a career high of 12 kills along with a pair of blocks.

Myers completed the night with 40 assists and 12 digs, which gave her her fourth double-double of the season.
The Lopers were paced by three players in double figures – Ariel Krolikowski (14 kills and 17 digs), Ellie Pesavento (13) and Liz McGowan (11 and 26 digs). Setter Jenna Rouzee finished with 45 assists and 17 digs of her own, while Kaleigh Anderson chipped in 16 digs. As a team, UNK hit .238 to the Mavs' .125.

UNO opened with a 25-21 win in the first set, putting up their best hitting performance of the night with a .282 mark behind four kills apiece from Sorensen and Ebke. The Mavs took a 21-16 lead with four straight UNO kills, but Kearney threatened and brought it within two by 23-21. Sorensen and Fleege then put down back-to-back kills to seal the win and put Nebraska Omaha out front.

UNK stormed back in game two with a 25-9 victory, but the Mavericks countered to take the third set 25-19. Nebraska-Kearney then captured a 25-16 win in game four behind .324 team hitting, forcing a fifth and final set in a hard-fought match. The Lopers posted a .400 attack percentage in the deciding game, taking it with a score of 15-9.

UNO returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 6, traveling to South Dakota State. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in Brookings, S.D.