OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha Supernovas (11-5) travel to Atlanta for the second time this season to take on the league-leading Atlanta Vibe (14-4) Saturday night at Gas South Arena. Omaha and Atlanta enter Saturday as the top-two teams in the Pro Volleyball Federation, a fact that’s been true for three of its four matches this season against one another. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CDT.
The match will be broadcast live on the Supernovas Radio Network, featuring its flagship station 93.7 The Ticket. The broadcast will also be live on 95.7 The Boss (Omaha), KRVN (Lexington), KOLT (Scottsbluff), and KTIC (West Point).
Thursday’s contest will also be streamed live on the Pro Volleyball Federation's YouTube channel.
Omaha is coming off a nine-day break after defeating the Columbus Fury in four sets at home on April 4. Since losing to the Vibe on March 14, the Supernovas have won four of their last five matches with the only loss being a four-set letdown in San Diego.
The Vibe have been the hottest team in the Pro Volleyball Federation and are closing in on being the first team to clinch a spot in the postseason which is to be held in Omaha on May 15 and May 18. Since being swept by Omaha on their home court on Feb. 29, Atlanta has won 10 of its last 11 matches with seven of those being sweeps. In fact, the Vibe have won 15 of their last 16 sets.
Atlanta outside hitter Leah Edmond has been one of the most electric players in the Pro Volleyball Federation this season, leading the league with 286 kills which equates to 4.3 kills per set. Russian opposite Anna Lazareva is eighth in the league with 188 kills.
Morgan Hentz will be in contention to make the U.S. Olympic Team for Paris 2024 and she’s shown that in her season with the Vibe, pacing the league with 270 digs. Shelly Fanning serves as the anchor in the middle, sitting sixth in the Federation with 38 blocks while Edmond is eighth with 34.
The Supernovas enter Saturday leading the league with 70 aces in 16 matches for a 4.38 match average. Those numbers include the league-leading 24 aces by Supernovas outside hitter Bethania de la Cruz. The Vibe are third in that category, serving 61 aces in 18 matches. That’s a 3.39 average.
De la Cruz comes off her best playing week of the season in which she won the Pro Volleyball Federation Player of the Week. The Dominican Republic native totaled a franchise-record 26 kills on a .418 clip with 13 digs and three blocks against the San Diego Mojo on April 2. She followed up by equaling her own record of 26 kills on a franchise-record .585 hitting percentage with a season-high 14 digs in a four-set win over Columbus on April 4. De la Cruz became the third Supernova to win weekly accolades, joining Brooke Nuneviller and Sydney Hilley.
The Omaha middle blockers will be a position group to watch. Hristina Vuchkova and Tori Dixon have become a dominant duo for the Supernovas. Vuchkova has a team-high 43 blocks which includes setting a franchise record of six blocks in the match against the Mojo on April 2. Vuchkova initially started slow after arriving from the Chinese League, recording 10 blocks in her first five matches. She’s turned it on in the latest string of contests, totaling 33 blocks in the last eight matches alone.
Libero Gabby Thompson returns to the state where she grew up following her first career pro start. Against the Fury, Thompson recorded nine digs and two assists. Setter Natalia Valentín-Anderson looks to follow up her record-breaking performance in the last match against Columbus. The Puerto Rican racked up a franchise-record 57 assists in the four-set win.
After Atlanta, Omaha takes another week-long break before hosting the San Diego Mojo on Saturday, April 20 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
ABOUT OMAHA SUPERNOVAS
The Omaha Supernovas aim to be the premier home of professional volleyball throughout the world. The team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneurs Danny White and Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the present and future of professional volleyball in North America. The League began play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players joined by elite standouts from around the world. Seven teams have taken the court in the first season, with 10 teams scheduled for the 2025 campaign. Our focus is on ensuring that the level and quality of play, treatment of players and the entire fan experience is world class and the best offered anywhere. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.