Supernovas Couldn’t Make A Comeback Against Orlando With 10523 In Attendance, In front of 10,523 fans, the Omaha Supernovas came back from a 2-0 deficit but lost 3-2 to the Orlando Valkyries. Check out our analysis of Brooke Nuneviller’s 27-kill record and the important moments in the fifth set.
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Brooke Nuneviller, the star outside hitter, powered Omaha’s offense, hitting a franchise-record 66 times and scoring a Supernovas career-high of 27 kills at a .364 hitting percentage. She also secured her third double-double in a row with 14 digs, two assists, and one ace.
Norah TeBrake experienced her most significant playing time this season, earning her own double-double with 11 kills, 10 digs, and two aces after coming in for Sarah Parsons during the second set.
A Thriller in the Heartland
In a highly anticipated matchup, the reigning Major League Volleyball (MLV) champions, the Orlando Valkyries, managed to fend off a strong comeback from the Omaha Supernovas, winning 3-2 in an exciting Sunday afternoon game. The final set scores of 25-18, 25-20, 16-25, 24-26, 15-9 only partially capture the essence of a match filled with dramatic shifts in momentum, record-setting performances, and strategic changes.
- Set 1: Parsons started the match with a kill from the left side, but Abercrombie quickly responded with her own kill. Parsons scored her second kill, and an error from Orlando allowed Omaha to take an early 3-1 lead. Luper and Abercrombie made back-to-back kills to tie the set, but a service error by Foster and a kill from Nuneviller gave the Supernovas the lead again. Nuneviller added another kill, but a 3-0 run by the Valkyries, led by kills from Luper and Maddox and capped by a block from Brown, gave them a 7-6 advantage. Consecutive errors allowed Omaha to regain the lead at the first media timeout, 8-7. Onabanjo got her first kill of the season off the slide. Beason extended the Supernovas’ lead with two consecutive kills, but Maddux and Abercrombie tied the set again for Orlando at 11. Later tied at 14 after a kill from Nuneviller, the Valkyries capitalized on two errors from Omaha and a block from Maddux to take a 16-14 lead at the second media timeout. Guedpard executed a setter dump right after the break for a 4-0 run, but Hilley ended Omaha’s scoring drought with a high ball. Nuneviller scored from the back row, but Foster responded with a kill, prompting a Supernovas timeout at 19-16 in favor of the Valkyries. Foster blocked an overpass attack from Onabanjo, extending Orlando’s lead to four points. Beason blocked Maddux in a one-on-one situation to spark some momentum, and Parsons followed with an ace, forcing a timeout from the Valkyries at 20-18. Abercrombie scored for Orlando right after the stoppage, but a wide attack from Beason allowed the Valkyries to lead 22-18. The Supernovas had a hitting percentage of .146, with one block and one ace. Nuneviller led the team with four kills at a .364 rate. The Valkyries started strong, hitting .361 with three blocks and one ace, while Abercrombie contributed five kills.
- Set 2: Maddux continued from where she started in the first set, opening the second with a kill, but Nuneviller quickly responded with one of her own. Both teams made service errors before Orlando took control with a 3-0 run, thanks to kills from Brown, Maddux, and Luper. Parsons hit the block, and Hilley pushed the ball past the block to bring Omaha back within one. Nuneviller and Brown exchanged points, putting the Valkyries ahead 8-6 at the media timeout. After the timeout, Nuneviller scored with a tip, and Beason blocked the Orlando attack on the next point, tying the set. At 10-10, Maddux scored two aces, prompting an Omaha timeout. Nuneviller responded with a kill after jumping from the back row, but Luper quieted the home crowd with a block against Beason. A failed challenge by the Supernovas and a hitting error allowed Orlando to lead 15-11, but Hilley stopped the 3-0 run with a setter dump. TeBrake came in and got her first career kill for the Supernovas. Nuneviller followed with another kill, and Hilley capped a 3-0 run with a block. A service error that barely missed ended the run, but Nuneviller finished a long rally with a kill. Despite the momentum, the Valkyries answered with a 3-0 run, featuring kills from Maddux and Luper, before a Guedpard block gave them a 20-16 lead, forcing a timeout. Nuneviller interrupted the run, but an error and a Guedpard ace put Orlando ahead 22-17. Abercrombie’s kill from the right gave the Valkyries set point, and a long attack from TeBrake allowed Orlando to take a 2-0 set lead with a 25-20 win. Omaha’s hitting percentage improved to .179 with two blocks but no aces. Nuneviller led the Supernovas with a set-high seven kills. Orlando hit .244 with two blocks, and the Valkyries achieved three aces. Luper had an impressive .500 hitting percentage in the set with five kills to lead Orlando.
- Set 3: The Valkyries made an early jump, scoring with kills from Foster, Maddux, and another ace from Guedpard for a quick 3-0 lead. Reinhardt got Omaha started with a middle hit, followed by a kill from TeBrake. Abercrombie made a block, but a few mistakes from the Valkyries tied the score at 5. Brown blocked a TeBrake attack from the back row, but Nuneviller responded with a kill. Luper put Orlando ahead 8-7 at the first media timeout with a kill. The Valkyries increased their lead to 10-7 due to a net violation and a termination from Maddux. Nuneviller and TeBrake scored back-to-back kills. After a kill from Maddux, Nuneviller, Reinhardt, and Hilley all scored to give the Supernovas a 12-11 lead. Tied at 14, TeBrake scored from the left and followed with her own ace, putting Omaha ahead 16-14 at the second timeout. The Supernovas took charge from that point, going on an 8-0 run with another ace from TeBrake and kills from Londot and Nuneviller. Two more kills from Nuneviller brought Omaha to set point, where a Valkyries attack went wide, giving the Supernovas a 25-16 victory. The Supernovas’ offense came alive with a .326 hitting percentage and two aces from TeBrake. Nuneviller had a .429 hitting percentage in the set, leading the team with six kills. Orlando struggled with a .154 hitting percentage, recording two blocks and one ace, while Maddux led with four kills.
- Set 4: Foster showed why she is one of the most formidable servers in the league, guiding Orlando to a 7-0 start in the set, which featured two aces. A service error halted the momentum, but Abercrombie pushed the Valkyries to an 8-1 lead at the media timeout with a kill. Londot and TeBrake each contributed two kills for Omaha, yet Orlando maintained a 14-7 advantage thanks to a kill from Foster. Reinhardt ignited a 5-0 run with two kills. TeBrake then scored on an overpass, and Nuneviller served an ace to narrow the gap to three. Nuneviller continued to shine offensively, adding two more kills. Reinhardt leveled the score with an ace at 15, but Orlando quickly responded with three points from Luper, Brown, and Maddux. Londot made a crucial solo block right after the break, leading to a 5-0 run that put the Supernovas ahead 20-18. A couple of errors from Omaha tied the set again. Another kill from Nuneviller and a block from Hilley brought the score to 23-21 in favor of the Supernovas, but the Valkyries fought back with points from Foster and Abercrombie to tie it at 23. Nuneviller set up a set point for Omaha, but Abercrombie countered with a kill to prolong the set. Nuneviller responded once more, and a four-hit violation allowed the Supernovas to clinch a 26-24 victory. Omaha recorded a hitting percentage of .349 in the set, with three blocks and two aces, as Nuneviller achieved seven kills at a .353 rate. The Valkyries managed a .333 hitting percentage with two aces. Abercrombie equaled Nuneviller with seven kills on 12 attempts without errors, resulting in a .583 hitting percentage.
- Set 5: Reinhardt started the set with a termination, but a service error disrupted the quick beginning. Foster served an ace against Hentz to take the lead, but consecutive errors from Orlando gave Omaha a 3-2 edge. Maddux achieved her match-high fourth ace, yet Londot and Nuneviller matched Omaha’s pace. Abercrombie sparked a 3-0 run for the Valkyries, leading 9-6. The teams exchanged points, but Orlando finished the match with a 4-0 run, highlighted by an Abercrombie short-serve ace and a block from Maddux, clinching the five-set win. The Supernovas faced offensive challenges in the fifth set for the second consecutive match, posting a .095 hitting percentage. Abercrombie scored five of Orlando’s six kills in this set, while the Valkyries also achieved three aces.
Key Performers
| Statistic | Omaha Supernovas | Orlando Valkyries |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2 | 3 |
| Top Attacker | Brooke Nuneviller (27 kills, .364%) | Brittany Abercrombie (22 kills, .400%) |
| Key Service Stat | 5 Aces | 10 Aces (Franchise opponent record) |
| Defensive Standout | Morgan Hentz (15 digs) | Team (81 digs, 9 blocks) |
| Offensive Catalyst | Sydney Hilley (53 assists) | Chompoo Guedpard (59 assists) |
Frequently Asked Questions: Supernovas Couldn’t Make A Comeback Against Orlando With 10523 In Attendance
What was the attendance for the match, and why is it significant?
A total of 10,523 people were present at the match held at the CHI Health Center. This makes it the 14th-largest crowd in the history of U.S. professional volleyball, highlighting Omaha’s position as the center of the sport’s domestic fanbase. The Supernovas have now held 17 matches with more than 10,000 attendees.
Who were the team captains for the Supernovas in this match?
The 2026 team captains for the Supernovas are outside hitters Brooke Nuneviller and Sarah Parsons.
Nuneviller set a record with her outstanding performance.
What is the Valkyries’ partnership with Stadium Club?
The Orlando Valkyries have teamed up with Stadium Club, an engaging sports bar in Orlando, for the 2026 season. This partnership seeks to offer fans unique experiences, in line with the Valkyries’ goal of strong community involvement and creative fan access.
What’s next for both teams?
The Omaha Supernovas (2-2) aim to bounce back and complete their three-match homestand as they take on the Columbus Fury this Thursday.
Meanwhile, the undefeated Orlando Valkyries (3-0) will carry on with their title defense away from home, reinforcing their status as the team that all other franchises are pursuing.