GRAND RAPIDS RISE 1 at Omaha Supernovas 3
March 28, 2024
OMAHA, Neb. — Seeking a third consecutive road win, the Grand Rapids Rise came up short Thursday night in a grueling four-set match against the Omaha Supernovas inside the CHI Health Center. Omaha won its three sets by a combined seven points, winning by set scores of 27-25, 20-25, 30-28, 25-22.
The Supernovas, holding second in the Pro Volleyball Federation standings, improved to 9-4 overall and 2-0 against the Rise this season. Omaha won the first meeting in Grand Rapids by the same score, 3-1, on Feb. 12 by set scores of 25-21, 31-33, 28-30, 21-25. All eight sets between the two teams this season have been decided by five points or less.
Showing off the red jerseys for the first time, the Rise were uncharacteristically stopped from the winning the first frame. Omaha came from behind to force extra points beyond the 25-point mark. Grand Rapids managed to fend off two set points before Omaha’s Brooke Nuneviller dropped in an ace to take the first set, 27-25. The Rise are now 9-3 in opening sets this year.
Grand Rapids had six blocks in the set, led by Alyssa Jensen and Emiliya Dimitrova with two each. Outside hitter Claire Chaussee was active offensively with four kills on 21 attack attempts. Shannon Scully, getting her first start of the season, was more efficient with three kills on seven swings (.429). Scully finished with a season-high seven kills with a .185 hitting percentage.
The second set was last tied at 20-20 before the Rise used a 5-0 run to even the match at one set apiece. The final five points featured three Chaussee kills, a team-leading 11th ace this season from Marin Grote, and a set-ending Omaha block net violation.
Dimitrova and Chaussee both had double-digit kills by the end of the second set with 11 and 10, respectively. Defensively, libero Sarah Sponcil picked up 10 of the 40 Rise digs through two sets.
The Rise battled back to knot the third set at 15-15 following a Jensen kill. Grand Rapids then scored the next three points off a Chaussee ace that clipped the end line and two attacking errors by the Supernovas. Omaha called a timeout trailing 18-15. Grand Rapids then called the next timeout, down 22-21 following a 7-3 Omaha spurt.
Nothing could separate the two teams down the stretch, and for the fourth time in seven sets played between the two teams this season the winner needed more than 25 points. Grand Rapids got one set point, up 28-27, but that was neutralized by a kill from Paige Briggs. The Supernovas finally ended the lengthy showdown on their fifth set point due to a pair of Rise attack errors.
Neither team led by more than three points in the fourth set. Omaha continued to feed Briggs and Nuneviller. The duo scored five out of the final six Omaha points, as the Supernovas used a 5-2 run to close out the match, 25-22.
Nuneviller (.250) finished with 24 kills, while Dimitrova collected 23 (.321). Dimitrova also had two aces and two blocks to reach 27 points. Chaussee chipped in with 17 kills (.123) and 11 digs. She was one of three Rise players to reach double figures in digs with Sponcil (18) and Dimitrova (16).
Notes
- Omaha was playing its first match since March 16, while Grand Rapids wrapped up its third road match in nine days.
- The Supernovas had 10 more kills than the Rise (68-58) and had a slightly better team hitting percentage (.233 to .200) despite having two more attacking errors (25-23).
- Rise setter Ashley Evans finished with 49 assists, nine digs and a kill.
- Grand Rapids is now 5-12 in sets decided by two points, and 0-4 against Omaha in those close frames, all of which have gone over 25 points (33-31, 30-28, 27-25, 30-28).
- The Rise tied their season-best mark of six aces. Dimitrova (2), Grote (2), Chaussee (1) and Jensen (1) all contributed.
GR 25 25 28 22 — 1
OMA 27 20 30 25 — 3
Team Leaders
GR: Kills — Emiliya Dimitrova 23, Claire Chaussee 17, Marin Grote 7, Shannon Scully 7; Assists — Ashley Evans 49; Aces — Grote 2, Dimitrova 2, Chaussee 1, Jensen 1; Blocks — Jensen 4, Grote 2, Evans 2, Dimitrova 2; Digs — Sarah Sponcil 18, Dimitrova 16, Chaussee 11.
OMA: Kills —Brooke Nuneviller 24, Jess Schaben-Lansman 13, Paige Briggs 11; Assists — Sydney Hilley 51, Kendall White 6; Aces — Nuneviller 1, Briggs 1; Blocks — Hristina Vuchkova 5, Schaben-Lansman 3; Digs — Nuneviller 21, White 17, Hilley 16.
Record / Next Match
Grand Rapids: 6-6 / Mon., April 1 vs. Atlanta Vibe, 7 p.m. EDT
Omaha: 9-4 / Sat., March 30 vs. Vegas Thrill, 6 p.m. CT
Photo by Matt Bills/Omaha Supernovas