Dallas Pulse Defeats Omaha In A Five-set Match – Omaha, Neb. – The Dallas PULSE (6-3), a women’s professional volleyball team from North Texas, defeated the Omaha Supernovas (7-4) in a five-set match (25-16, 17-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-11) at CHI Health Center on Thursday night, leveling the season series at 1-1.
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Outside Hitter Sofia Maldonado Diaz
PULSE’s outside hitter Sofia Maldonado Diaz had her best game of the season, achieving 30 kills with a .312 hitting percentage, which earned her player of the game. Mimi Colyer contributed 17 kills and nine digs, while outside hitter Kaylee Cox made her first start of the season at opposite, finishing with nine kills. Setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 49 assists and 16 digs.
Omaha’s outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller led the team with 14 kills, followed by outside hitter Emily Londot with 13. Middle blocker Toyosi Onabanjo added 10 kills for the Supernovas.
Limiting Few Mistakes
Dallas started strong with their serves, scoring three aces and making few mistakes. An error from Omaha’s serve led to a crucial 5-0 run in the first set, featuring two aces from Colyer and kills by Cox and Maldonado Diaz, allowing the PULSE to pull ahead for a 25-16 win in the first set.
Omaha came back in the second set, hitting .481 and keeping Dallas off balance. The PULSE managed only .171 in that set as the Supernovas tied the match.
In the third set, the PULSE took charge thanks to the teamwork of Valentin-Anderson and Maldonado Diaz. “I told her it was hard for me not to go to her,” said Valentin-Anderson. “When she’s playing like that, when Mimi is playing like that, it’s hard not to.” Diaz achieved 10 kills in that set, hitting .421. “Having options like hitting cross, hitting deep, and tipping – those choices boosted my confidence,” Diaz mentioned.
Fifth Set
The Supernovas battled back from a 9-13 deficit to gain a 19-18 lead and went on a 6-1 run to push the match into a fifth set.
In the fifth set, Dallas remained calm. After five ties, the PULSE made a late break and clinched the 15-11 win to take the match 3-2.
Dallas will continue its road trip on Saturday, Feb. 14, facing the Columbus Fury at Nationwide Arena. The first serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on The Roku Channel.
Frequently Asked Questions: Dallas Pulse Defeats Omaha In A Five-set Match
How does a five-set match work in volleyball?
A five-set match follows a best-of-five format. The first four sets are played to 25 points (win by 2), while the fifth set is played to 15 points (win by 2). The team that wins three sets first wins the match.
What happens if the ball hits the net on a serve?
According to the current rules, if the ball hits the net but still goes into the other player’s court, the game goes on. This rule about ‘let serves’ changed in the late 1990s; before that, hitting the net was considered a fault.
Why do volleyball players wear different colored jerseys?
The player wearing a different jersey is the libero, a defensive expert who can take the place of any back-row player without it counting as a substitution.
Liberos are not allowed to hit balls above the height of the net and have certain positional limitations.
What is the most common injury in professional volleyball?
Ankle sprains are the most frequent acute injury, making up 15-60% of all volleyball injuries.
Patellar tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is the most prevalent overuse issue, impacting as many as 80% of players during their careers.
How do teams qualify for the Pro Volleyball Federation playoffs?
The leading four teams from every conference make it to the postseason.
Teams compete in a regular season of 24 matches, with the championship match set for mid-May.
What’s the difference between indoor and beach volleyball scoring?
Indoor volleyball employs rally scoring up to 25 points (best-of-five), whereas beach volleyball uses rally scoring up to 21 points (best-of-three). Both formats necessitate a two-point lead to secure a win.