SAN DIEGO – Despite losing their sixth consecutive regular-season match, the Mojo (3-8) made strides in their home loss on Thursday night to the top-ranked Omaha Supernovas (8-3), 22-25, 25-20, 16-25, 27-29.

The Mojo were coming off a three-set away loss to the Supernovas where the Mojo managed only 58 points (21, 19, and 18 points in the three sets). On Thursday evening, the team scored 88 points. They had chances for even more had they converted several set-point chances in the fourth set to push the match to a decider.

“We made a lot of changes to our offense and I think it really worked,” said head coach Tayyiba Haneef-Park. “You saw the first set … The way that the ladies were grinding today is getting back to our natural style volleyball. It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to close it out, but hopefully we can carry this momentum that we saw today into the rest of the (season).”

Outside hitter Kendra Dahlke had 18 points and earned her sixth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs. Outside hitter Jenaisya Moore had her second-highest scoring performance, adding 14 points and finishing with her second double-double on the year with 12 kills and 11 digs.  

Setter DaYeong Lee had a monster performance with 43 assists and 14 digs. All-Star libero Shara Venegas tallied a match and season-high 23 digs, tied for the second-most digs in a match in team history.  

The Mojo won the first set, 25-22. Moore, Dahlke, and All-Star middle blocker Ronika Stone led the scoring with 5, 5, and 4 points respectively. The teams stayed within two points of each other until Stone blocked an attack to allow the Mojo go up by three, 18-15. They finished strong and took the first set off a kill by Dahlke, 25-22.

An early 4-0 Supernova run in the second set was the difference maker. The Mojo couldn’t recover, and although they often managed to stay within two points, it wasn’t enough to force a comeback. The Supernovas won set two, 25-20.

Although the teams played even until 11-11 in the third, the Supernovas went on a 7-0 run that a Mojo timeout after 5 consecutive couldn’t end. The Mojo had a mini 3-0 run, but the Supernovas countered with a 5-0 run to finish the set, 25-16.

“I think in the third set, we just tried something different,” said Haneef-Park.  “We tried switching our lineup, and then I just didn’t like the way that we were executing in that lineup, and so we switched back to what it was before, and I think it was a better match up for us. I think our girls were more aggressive in that moment. Maybe it was kind of, ‘this is time for action. We can’t let this set away from us.’ And so they showed up with a purpose. … Defensively, they were scrappy out there today. We covered more balls than we ever have. We were digging more balls. We were just adjusting to the other team as they made their changes in that fourth set.”

The Mojo shined in the fourth set, but couldn’t convert, losing 27-29. The Mojo had at least three set points but could not convert. At one point they were up by 5, 18-13. San Diego got seven points from Dahlke and five off the bench from La Jolla High grad Leyla Blackwell (Nebraska). With the Mojo leading 18-13, Omaha chipped away, getting the score to 18-15 and then 19-17, before eventually tying the game at 20-20. The last points of the set went back-and-forth, with the Mojo jumping to a 24-22 lead, but surrendered it as Omaha tied the game at 24. Stalemates at 25, 26, and 27 lengthened the set, before the Supernovas rallied to defeat the Mojo, 29-27.  

“It’s tough losing back to back and kind of being on a losing streak a little bit,” said Moore.  “We’ve had two really good days of practice, and I think the momentum that we’ve practiced with showed in today’s game, even though it may have gotten the best of us. I think it’s a step in the right direction for our team moving forward.”

The match featured five players named to the Inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star Match. Mojo players Stone and Venegas will represent San Diego, while outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller, middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord and libero Camila Gómez will represent the Supernovas.

Stone and Venegas head to Indy’s Fisher Events Center for the All-Star Match on Saturday, Feb. 22. The game will be broadcast live on CBS with first serve set for 10:30 a.m. PT. 

San Diego will look to get back on track next Thursday, Feb. 27 as the Mojo host the Grand Rapids Rise at Viejas Arena at 7:05 p.m.  The game will stream live on VBTV as part of the Volleyball World’s Match of the Week. Purchase tickets here. Special discounts for groups—bring your team! Get group tickets by email Daniel Akerlind at [email protected].

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