Supernovas ride offensive balance to sweep of Vegas

Trying to take advantage of a free ball, Vegas setter Carly Graham attempted a two-handed setter dump on second contact.

However, Omaha setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson reacted quickly and popped the ball up. Kelsie Panye then sent a bump set across the court to Reagan Cooper, who took one step in front of the 10-foot line and fired an attack to the floor in the middle of the Vegas defense. 

Even when the offense wasn’t in system, the Supernovas were finding ways to keep plays alive and put balls down against Vegas Friday night. Omaha finished with a season-high .352 hitting percentage and earned a 25-23, 25-14, 25-19 sweep over the Thrill at the CHI Health Center. 

Valentin-Anderson finished with 39 assists as outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller finished with 15 kills and a career-best .438 hitting percentage. Cooper added 12 kills at a .435 clip. Middle blocker Kayla Caffey put up her fifth-straight match hitting above .400 as she had six kills on 15 attacks.

Omaha coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn said they benefited from a balanced attack from multiple players terminated from all parts of the court.

“Our system is that we need to be balanced, and that means we need to attack the middle of the net just as much as on the pins,” Kuhn said. “(Valentin-Anderson) did a great job moving the ball around and finding them in transition, even Kelsie back row, because we need to use our middles, but also just attack the middle of the net. It was a good distribution tonight.”

Payne finished with nine kills and was active attacking in all six rotations. She said she likes hitting from behind the 10-foot line because it gives her a better view of the court. 

“For me personally, I can just see more,” the 6-foot-3 opposite said. “When I’m attacking in the front row, the net is here, and I don’t see the net or the block, honestly, because I’m looking at the ball. From the back row, I can see the block. I can see the ball. I can see everything in front of me. It’s just a different point of view.”

In their first meeting since the second week of the season, Vegas (8-10) started quickly and raced out to an 11-6 lead. 

However, Kaitlyn Hord stepped to the service line and put the Supernovas in front with a 6-0 run. The final two points of the streak came on aces from the middle blocker: one the trickled over the net and then next one that found the deep corner. Hord also started the match with an unreturned serve. 

Not only did the service run get the Supernovas back into the set, but it provided an energy boost for Omaha. 

“It just makes everything so much easier when you put aggressive serves in and they are out of system,” Nuneviller said. “It makes our defense set up better. It makes the floor defenders behind them get digs, and we can get a lot of momentum from transition kills. (Hord) started that back there with her serve, and I think it set the tone for the rest of the match.”

Omaha’s tough serving also helped limit the Thrill’s offensive options. Their middles never got into the match as Morgan Stout and Berkeley Oblad combined for just four kills. The Vegas middles weren’t a factor on defense either, as Oblad recorded its only block of the night. When the Thrill did get a touch on an Omaha attack, the Supernovas covered the block effectively. 

“We played hard, but a little bit inconsistent,” Vegas coach Rámon Gernández Cruz said. “When you face the champion on their home court you have to play a little bit more consistent.”

Camila Gomez anchored the Omaha defense with 15 digs while Cooper added 10. Hannah Maddux led Vegas with 15 kills, but hit just .179. Payne helped corral her with four blocks. 

“Four blocks is unreal,” Nuneviller said about Payne. “She’s one of the best help blockers. I hit against her in practice, and she’s always helping on the (attack). She’s just in a good rhythm with blocking.”

The Supernovas ran away with the second set as Valentin-Anderson served another 6-0 run and then Omaha later won seven out of eight points.

Even though they haven’t played in more than two months, the Thrill’s first meeting was still in Omaha’s mind after it fell in a reverse sweep in Las Vegas. In the third set. the Supernovas broke a 15-all tie by winning four of the next five points. 

Fueled by a crowd of 10,017, the sixth time in eight home matches the Supernovas reached five figures this season, Omaha improved to 13-5 and increased its lead over second-place Orlando to 1.5 games. The Supernovas will try to build upon their lead against Grand Rapids (8-11). 

“It’s unreal,” Payne said. “I’ve never played in an environment like this, and it’s even better that they’re cheering for us. It’s the best.”