COLUMBIA, S.C. - On the first day of regular season action, the Omaha volleyball team got things started with a commanding 3-0 sweep of Winthrop University to win their season opener. In the nightcap, however, the host school, University of South Carolina, managed to fend off the Mavericks in all three sets, winning 3-0.

With today's matches, the Mavericks officially begin their 2022 campaign at 1-1.

Match 1: Omaha 3, Winthrop 0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-14)

Set by Set

• The Mavericks fell behind early, trailing the Eagles 6-2 to start the set. Omaha did not break, however, instead responding by going on a 23-8 run to take the set. Up 12-11 halfway through the set, the Mavericks scored seven in a row. Shayla McCormick recorded three kills during the run, while Jaiden Centeno picked up a pair of aces. McCormick would knock three more kills after the 7-0 run ended, with McKenna Ruch delivering the final blow to close out the set.
• Omaha began set two with five unanswered points, starting with back-to-back kills from Morgan DeBow for the first points of her collegiate career. Marriah Buss capped off the rally with a couple of aces. Winthrop would eventually battle back and come within one (15-16) just over halfway through the set. Momentum shifted back in Omaha's favor after a block from Ruch and three-straight kills from Buss. Winthrop almost came back one more time, but with the Mavericks leading 24-22, they committed an attack error to give Omaha the set.
• Set three started off as a back-and-forth affair, with both teams tied at 5-5 to begin things. The Mavericks, though, would ultimately go on three separate runs of at least three points to outscore the Eagles 20-8 over the rest of the set. McCormick led the way again with six kills during the set, followed by Buss with five. Kali Jurgensmeier, in her first career match, picked up three kills and a block during set three, while Ruch once again finished things off with one last kill to seal the sweep fro Omaha.

Inside the Box Score

• The Mavericks led the match in kills (42-33), assists (35-32), aces (5-2), and blocks (7-5).
• McCormick and Buss led all players today with 18 and 11 kills, respectively. 
• Sami Clarkson was the top setter in the match with 29 assists, while Ruch paced all players with five blocks.

Match 2: South Carolina 3, Omaha 0 (25-12, 25-21, 28-26)

Set by Set

• After both teams scored twice to open set one, the Gamecocks went on an 8-0 scoring run to permanently take the lead. Freshmen Morgan DeBow and Jurgensmeier continued to make an impression in their first taste of regular season action as they combined for three of Omaha's six kills.
• The Mavericks did their best to get even in set two, keeping it tied 6-6 at the start and staying neck and neck with South Carolina halfway through. Ruch was everywhere during the set, tallying six kills and two blocked shots. Down 24-18, she scored three in a row (two kills, one block) to keep the Mavericks alive late.
• Down to their final set, the Mavericks made this one the closest yet. Down 14-10, Jurgensmeier came up with a big kill to kick off a 5-0 run to give Omaha the lead. After the Gamecocks tied it at 15-15, she would again come in with a huge kill, followed by yet another blocked shot from Ruch, before scoring her first career ace to make it 18-15 Omaha. Rachel Fairbanks would later get the Mavericks to match point with a kill, only for South Carolina to put up three more to tie it up at 24-24. Both teams proceeded to alternate kills, with McCormick getting two more for Omaha, but in the end it was the Gamecocks who managed to close out the set and the match with three-straight kills.

Inside the Box Score

• McCormick again led the Mavericks in kills with 10, while Jurgensmeier and DeBow combined for 11.
• Just like in match one, Ruch led the team with five blocked shots, along with being second in kills with eight.
• Clarkson notched 31 assists, giving her an even 60 to start the year. 

Up Next
The Mavericks close out their time in the Carolina Classic with a match against Sacred Heart University tomorrow at 12 p.m.