OMAHA, Nebraska — Sydney Hilley started the Professional Volleyball Federation playoffs on the bench.
By Saturday afternoon, the Omaha setter was celebrating a championship and was named probably the most beneficial participant for serving to the Supernovas sweep Grand Rapids in a 25-13, 26-24, 25-22 victory on the CHI Well being Heart.
All through the season, Hilley rotated at setter with Natalia Valentin-Anderson. She appeared in 68 units in comparison with Valentin-Anderson’s 57. Earlier than the semifinal, Hilley had not performed within the earlier three matches, all Omaha victories.
Hilley stated the taking part in association was difficult as a result of she didn’t understand how a lot she would play from match to match. Nonetheless, the love and care she shared with Valentin-Anderson made the uncertainty simpler.
“Clearly, I don’t need to be on the bench — nobody on the bench needs to be on the bench — however I simply needed the perfect for her and to prep for something that would occur,” Hilley stated. “I had my thoughts proper to return in. My staff had a lot belief in me and allowed me to play freely. I’m so pleased with the best way that we got here again on Wednesday after which began this recreation and completed with a bang. It was superior.”
Within the semifinals, Hilley entered the match with Omaha trailing 6-0 within the second set after it had dropped the opener. The Supernovas couldn’t overcome the early deficit, however with Hilley on the controls of the offense, Omaha (19-7) pulled off a reverse sweep to earn a spot within the championship.
The previous Wisconsin Badger continued her scorching streak within the closing as Omaha hit .615 within the first set and .342 for the match. Hilley completed with 40 assists and a block after recording 46 assists and 19 digs within the semifinal.
After Hilley delivered the win on Wednesday, Omaha coach Laura “Hen” Kuhn adopted the identical determination course of she had used all 12 months and rode the recent hand at setter.
“There’s a rhythm piece, and he or she ran an ideal match on Wednesday night time, clearly,” Kuhn stated. “So you retain going with that, particularly the best way we had been taking part in. We had been simply off a day or two the final two weeks. And so if we went with a change, we caught with it. It’s seamless. They’re two very totally different gamers, however it’s a seamless transition, and once they have rhythm, we go together with it.”
The primary set was a clinic by Omaha.
Exterior hitter Brooke Nuneviller recorded six kills on 10 swings. Reverse Stephanie Samedy terminated on all 4 of her assaults whereas Betty de la Cruz and center blocker Hristina Vuchkova had been every an ideal 3-for-3.
By the point de la Cruz slammed residence the ultimate level of the primary set, the Supernovas had recorded 17 kills on 26 swings with only one error.
For the match, Samedy, who joined the staff April 19, and de la Cruz every completed with a match-high 13 kills, whereas Nuneviller added 12 kills and 15 digs. Vuchkova recorded seven kills and three blocks, and Tori Dixon tallied 5 kills and two blocks.
Grand Rapids (13-13) regrouped and saved the second set nearer. The Rise appeared poised to take the set with a 23-21 lead after an ace by setter Ashley Evans.
Nonetheless, the Supernovas scored the following three factors on a back-row termination from Samedy and two extra kills from de la Cruz. A profitable problem by Grand Rapids prevented Omaha from successful the set, however Omaha gained the following two rallies to assert the set.
Claire Chaussee and Emiliya Dimitrova led the Rise with 12 kills every. Nobody else from Grand Rapids recorded greater than 4 kills, and so they struggled to take care of Omaha’s serving and keep within the system.
“We aren’t within the place we needed to be in, however I’m very pleased with our staff and pleased with what we’ve achieved all year long to place ourselves able to be right here tonight within the championship match,” Grand Rapids coach Cathy George stated. “Issues didn’t actually go our manner right now, however I assumed the Supernovas performed extraordinarily effectively from the get-go.”
Omaha by no means trailed within the third set, however the Rise received as shut as 22-21 earlier than Omaha earned back-to-back factors to arrange championship level. Chaussee recorded a kill on the following rally however the Rise’s subsequent serve went broad and set off the championship celebration.
The Supernovas donned commemorative shirts and hats whereas hugging by means of tears. Valentin-Anderson and Sophie Davis doused Kuhn — who was promoted from assistant to go coach two video games into the season after the Supernovas “promoted” head coach Shelton Collier — with a water bucket. She stated she wasn’t certain if the bucket contained confetti or water till it was too late.
“I used to be dodging it, however I used to be attempting to take a look at it too as a result of I used to be like, ‘Wait a second. They’re not going to dump this on the Teraflex (court docket),’” she stated. “They did. It was these two with the sneak assault.”
PVF CEO Jen Spicher introduced the staff with the trophy and an outsized novelty verify for $1 million.
Within the post-match press convention, the Omaha gamers stated that they had no concept how they deliberate to spend their share of the cash. Kuhn stated they didn’t enable anybody to consider the money prize as a result of they didn’t need to get forward of themselves. Nuneviller stated she would seemingly put it into financial savings.
“We’d be simply as excited proper now if there weren’t one million {dollars} on the road,” Hilley stated. “We’d strategy it the identical manner. It’s similar to a pleasant little bonus.”
Omaha was boosted by taking part in in entrance of a house crowd of 10,678 followers. It was the seventh time the Supernovas have attracted greater than 10,000 followers for a match this season.
“I’m so grateful simply to have the ability to be in a state the place they love volleyball a lot, and so they need to come and assist us,” Nuneviller stated. “It’s simply been such an unbelievable atmosphere and such an unbelievable place to play. The truth that we received to do this within the playoffs, it’s simply actually particular that they received to expertise it with us.”
