WICHITA, Kan. – The Mavericks fell in four sets to Cal Poly on the second day of the Shocker Volleyball Classic Friday afternoon in Wichita, 25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 25-19.
Omaha (2-8) has split the first two days of the tournament, with a third match slated for Saturday at 4 p.m. CT against host Wichita State.
Omaha senior Shayla McCormick had 10 blocks and 13 digs, graduate student McKenna Ruch had 12 kills, three blocks and a .550 hitting percentage and junior Kali Jurgensmeier had 11 kills, six digs and five blocks for the Mavericks, who played Cal Poly (6-4) for the first time. Mavericks sophomore setter Ivy Leuck finished with 43 assists and nine digs.
McCormick entered the match with 987 kills, and now needs three to become the 22nd Maverick to reach 1,000 career kills. The Omaha Skutt Catholic High School product would be the first to reach the milestone for the Mavericks since Sadie Limback and Anna Blaschko both surpassed 1,000 in the 2020 season. The Omaha career record holder is Tracy Ankeny, who amassed 1,961 kills from 1997-2000.
The Mavericks started slowly in the opening set, trailing by five before charging back behind Jurgensmeier and sophomore Emily Huss. Ruch then powered the Mavericks with a stretch of four straight kills as Omaha pulled even 14-14. The Mustangs regained control from there and closed out the first set 25-20.
Early in the second set Omaha closed the lead to 8-7 on kills by Ruch and sophomore Amanda Hardt before Cal Poly went on a 5-0 scoring run and never looked back, winning the second set, 25-18.
In the third set, Omaha reeled off four straight and seven of eight points, capped by junior Morgan DeBow’s kill, assisted by sophomore setter Ivy Leuck as Omaha built a three point lead they would not relinquish. Kills by McCormick and Jurgensmeier closed out the 25-22 third set win.
The fourth set was a grind for both teams with the scored tied six times before Cal Poly ultimately closed out the match with three straight points, winning 25-19.
The Shocker Volleyball Classic continues through Saturday as the Mavericks play host Wichita State at 4 p.m. CT.
