OMAHA, Neb. - Omaha head coach Matt Buttermore saw some things he liked as the Maverick volleyball team opened its spring season on Saturday night. 

Omaha played a pair of tight sets against crosstown rival Creighton as the Mavericks dropped a 25-22, 25-16, 29-27 decision. 

The exhibition took place following the LOVB Nebraska match at Baxter Arena. 

"We needed to own serve and pass better at the end of the third set and the start of the second set. That was really the difference in those two sets," Buttermore said. "But some of the things we've been working on, mindset-wise and technique-wise, we saw tonight. That was our goal tonight." 

Omaha, which has 10 players back from last year's 10-16 squad, showed good balance as five Mavericks finished with at least four kills. Faith Venable (Lincoln, Neb.), who will be a sophomore in the fall, led the team with seven kills, while Lara Marić (Brisbane, Australia) and Hayden Hart (Omaha, Neb.) were next. 

Hart was one of three transfers who joined the Mavericks this season who started and played most of the points. 

Last fall, Hart was a starting outside hitter at Oral Roberts, while Maddie Stuesser (Austin, Texas) was a starting setter at Charlotte and Madi Corf (Kansas City, Mo.) was an outside hitter for San Diego State. 

"Hayden may have had her best day of the spring out here tonight," Buttermore said. "She was very aggressive. I was glad to see that from her." 

Venable had a kill to pull Omaha within 23-22 in the first set before Creighton closed out the opener. 

Omaha also had a set point in the third set at 26-25 after another Venable kill, but Creighton won that set on its fourth match-point opportunity.