OMAHA, Neb. – One year to the day since the record-breaking Volleyball in Nebraska day on Aug. 30, 2023, the Omaha volleyball team returned to the court inside Baxter Arena to face (RV) Houston in the nightcap of day one as part of the Omaha Invite presented by Sarpy County Tourism.
Prior to the match, Omaha unveiled three new banners that hang proudly from the rafters that immortalize the program’s 2023 Summit League duet of regular season and tournament titles, along with the team’s first-ever NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Appearance which came against Kansas in the first round of the tournament.
After splitting the first two sets, the squads battled to the end with the Cougars (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) finishing on-top in a five-set thriller, winning the finale 15-7.
Houston hit at a .233 clip with 55 assists in 55 kills. Matt Buttermore‘s Omaha side (0-1, 0-0 Summit League) tallied 74 digs and 58 kills, 17 of which came from Shayla McCormick who finished her night with a double-double that included 14 digs.
The Cougars won the first set 25-20, followed by an Omaha 25-16 second frame. Houston edged-out Omaha 25-23 in the third while the Mavericks battled back to win the fourth by the same tally. Four-straight attack errors would seal a 15-7 win for the visitors in the decisive set.
Omaha returns to action, Saturday, Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. CT vs. Wyoming. Prior to Omaha’s contest, Washington State will do battle with Houston at 12 p.m. CT.
