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 priceless 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 enjoying association was difficult as a result of she didn’t know the way a lot she would play from match to match. Nevertheless, 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 wished one of the best for her and to prep for something that would occur,” Hilley stated. “I had my thoughts proper to come back in. My crew had a lot belief in me and allowed me to play freely. I’m so pleased with the way in which that we got here again on Wednesday after which began this sport 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 last 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 “Chicken” Kuhn adopted the identical determination course of she had used all 12 months and rode the new hand at setter.
“There’s a rhythm piece, and he or she ran an incredible match on Wednesday night time, clearly,” Kuhn stated. “So you retain going with that, particularly the way in which we had been enjoying. 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 after they have rhythm, we go together with it.”
The primary set was a clinic by Omaha.
Outdoors 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 dwelling 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 crew 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 stored the second set nearer. The Rise seemed poised to take the set with a 23-21 lead after an ace by setter Ashley Evans.
Nevertheless, the Supernovas scored the subsequent 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 profitable the set, however Omaha gained the subsequent two rallies to say the set.
Claire Chaussee and Emiliya Dimitrova led the Rise with 12 kills every. Nobody else from Grand Rapids recorded greater than 4 kills, they usually struggled to take care of Omaha’s serving and keep within the system.
“We’re not within the place we wished to be in, however I’m very pleased with our crew and pleased with what we’ve carried out 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 means right now, however I believed the Supernovas performed extraordinarily properly from the get-go.”
Omaha by no means trailed within the third set, however the Rise obtained as shut as 22-21 earlier than Omaha earned back-to-back factors to arrange championship level. Chaussee recorded a kill on the subsequent 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 to go coach two video games into the season after the Supernovas fired 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 making an attempt to have 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 crew with the trophy and an outsized novelty test for $1 million.
Within the post-match press convention, the Omaha gamers stated they’d 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 probably 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 method it the identical means. It’s similar to a pleasant little bonus.”
Omaha was boosted by enjoying 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, they usually need to come and assist us,” Nuneviller stated. “It’s simply been such an unbelievable surroundings and such an unbelievable place to play. The truth that we obtained to try this within the playoffs, it’s simply actually particular that they obtained to expertise it with us.”
