OMAHA, Neb. - In one of the most electrifying ends to a volleyball match you will ever see, the Mavericks mounted a massive comeback to take down University of Northern Colorado 3-2 to close out the MH Hospitality Omaha Challenge on Saturday afternoon at Baxter Arena.
Omaha improves to 4-1 on the season, while the Bears drop to 3-2. This was the first time the former NCC rivals have met in the Division I era, as well as the first time Omaha has come out on top since October 16, 2001.
Set By Set (22-25, 25-19, 21-25, 28-26, 19-17)
- The Mavericks struck first in set one on a service ace from Sami Clarkson. Omaha took a 4-1 lead after Marriah Buss scored another ace. The Bears, however, began to gradually chip away at Omaha, eventually going up 14-10 and holding off a late surge from the Mavericks to take the opening set.
- The Mavericks again came out swinging to open the second with an opening kill by Buss, followed by a block from Morgan DeBow. After the Bears got their first point on the board, Kali Jurgensmeier responded with three-straight kills to make it 5-1. From there, the Mavericks maintained a strong lead throughout the set, with Jurgensmeier picking up a couple more kills to finish things off.
- After falling behind 6-2 to begin set three, Omaha went on a six-point run capped off by a kill from Shayla McCormick to take the lead. McCormick would rack up seven kills in total during set three. Both teams continued to trade blows for a while, but in the end it was Northern Colorado who managed to pull away towards the end and take a 2-1 set lead on the day.
- Omaha again fell behind early to open set four, but managed to take a small lead midway through the set. Down 12-11, McCormick notched another kill, followed by a block from McKenna Ruch and an ace from Jaiden Centeno. Things only heated up from there, however, as neither team was able to score more than two points in a row. Both teams were so evenly matched that they managed to tie each other at 24, 25, and 26 points, before a kill from Jurgensmeier and a block by DeBow finally shut the door on a wild series.
- Things were not looking good for Omaha's comeback chances at the start of the final set as Northern Colorado's unrelenting attack built a 9-3 lead. Following a timeout, the Mavericks regained some momentum with a kill from Ruch and a huge block from Clarkson. Though the Bears responded with a kill to make it 10-5, Buss got Omaha back on the board and Clarkson blocked another shot to get them within three. Thanks to a couple of Northern Colorado service errors, the door was open for Omaha to get back out front, and after yet another kill from McCormick, that is exactly what happened as the Mavericks finally took the lead at 15-14. Like in set four, neither team was willing to back down, keeping the score deadlocked at 17-17, until a Bears' service error and a block from Buss allowed Omaha to complete the comeback and take the match.
Inside the Box Score
- Both teams were tied with 73 kills and 70 blocks on the day, while the Mavericks had the edge in aces (7-3) and blocks (12-9).
- Buss had a career day as her 24 kills not only led the match, but were the most she's ever had in a single-game, besting her previous high of 20 set last year.
- For the third match in a row, McCormick recorded a double-double with 21 kills and 17 blocks.
- With 12 kills Jurgensmeier picked up her third-straight match with double-digit kills.
- Clarkson's 59 assists were the most she's had this season and the fourth-most she's ever had in a game.
Up Next
The Mavericks will be back next week when they host the Omaha Invite presented by Sarpy County Tourism. The three-match event begins Thursday, September 8 when Omaha plays Florida State at 6:30 p.m. The following day features a neutral match between Florida State and No. 17 Creighton at 5 p.m. Then, on Saturday at 3 p.m., the Mavericks take on Creighton to close out the tournament and kick off River City Rivalry Week.
