For the second time in five years, Omaha Volleyball falls in the Summit League Tournament Final at the hands of the Denver Pioneers.
Sunday afternoon, the two-seeded Pioneers handled the four-seeded Mavericks in four sets, despite a late charge from Omaha.
Denver took the first two sets 25-21 and 25-13 respectively. The Pioneers particularly dominated the second set, led by Summit League Player of the Year Lydia Bartalo and senior Amanda Green.
The Mavericks responded in set three, however, controlling the lead for most of the way. Sadie Limback, who ultimately finished with 16 kills, heated up on the attack, as well as Anna Blaschko, who finished second on the team with 13 kills.
In a must-win fourth set for the Mavs, Omaha started off going toe-to-toe with Denver. However, a few tough, close calls went against the Mavericks, spurring a Denver run. A late push from Omaha fell short as Denver took the set, match and title with a 25-18 win.
In the end, Omaha couldn’t overcome several phases that Denver outplayed them in. Denver finished with 13 blocks as opposed to Omaha’s four. Additionally, Denver had 10 service aces while Omaha just had two. Omaha actually had one more kill than Denver (52-51), but Denver attacked at a better efficiency at .301% against the Mavs’ .160%
Isabella Sade and Sami Clarkson were named to the all-tournament team. Sade averaged 17 kills in her three matches this weekend. All-time, she is two kills shy of joining the 1,000 kill club. Clarkson averaged 49 assists and nine digs as a freshman in the tournament.
Sadie Limback will ride a 19-match streak of double-digit kills into next season after finishing with 16 against Denver. Limback had 42 kills total in the tournament.
Courtney Morehead, the lone senior for Omaha, finished her Maverick career with a 12-dig effort against Denver.
Omaha will reload next year, bringing back all but one of the players from this year’s roster.
Omaha finishes the season 19-14 and as runners-up in the Summit in Coach Buttermore’s first season. The Mavericks are now 4-4 all-time at the Summit League Tournament.
