FRISCO, Texas - The Comerica Center featured a night of Major League Volleyball Championship semifinals, starting with No. 4 Omaha Supernovas upsetting No. 1 Indy Ignite in five sets, 25-22, 21-25, 27-29, 25-20, 15-13. Following the first semifinal game, No. 2 Dallas Pulse faced off against the No. 3 San Diego Mojo. Just days before the championships, the Mojo announced that they would not be playing their 2027 season. The Mojo, refusing to go out without a fight, fell to the Pulse 3-1 in front of a crowd of 3,600, 28-30, 25-18, 25-17, 25-10. San Diego went 1-3 against Dallas in the 2026 season, their only win coming in the form of an epic five-set comeback in early April.
Thursday’s semifinal match was a thriller. Every possession felt bigger because the Mojo were playing for more than just a spot in the championship.They were playing for the fans that have rallied behind them for the entire season, the fans that embraced them from the very beginning, the fans that are facing the heartbreak of losing the team next season.
Dallas finished the season with a 20-8 record in their inaugural year, and San Diego finished 15-13 in their third season. However, after starting the season 1-6, the Mojo won 14 of their last 20 games, and their on-court (and off-court) chemistry grew stronger as the season progressed. They consistently disrupted offenses, and star players like outside hitter Grace Loberg, middle blocker Marin Grote, and setter Marlie Monserez led in several MLV statistical categories. The stars of the night for the Mojo were Loberg with 14 points, 10 digs, and a kill percentage of 34% and opposite hitter Jovana Brakočević with 13 points, eight digs, one ace, and a team-high kill percentage of 37% (tied with middle blocker Taylor Sandbothe).
San Diego Mojo team huddle. Photo courtesy of Major League Volleyball.
The matchup ended in four sets, with the Mojo winning the first set 30-28. Dallas pulled ahead 8-5 before the first timeout. San Diego, starting to catch up, stayed on top in a few key rallies. Grote executed an excellent block and tied the score at 10. Brakočević completed two attacks to continue the tie, and Loberg attacked to finally put the Mojo up 16-14. Grote hit a service ace to go up 17-14, but Dallas tied it at 17-17.
The referee awarded the next point to Dallas when San Diego challenged the point on a net touch. After video review, San Diego received the point and reversed the previous score, now up by one 18-17. Brakočević completed her fourth kill of the set, but Dallas continued to fight and tied the set at 19, the tenth tie of the set.
A fifth kill for Serbian Olympian Brakočević preceded an incredible set by Monserez, setting up Loberg for the attack. Continued back-and-forth scoring made the score 23-23, and opposite hitter Morgan Lewis blocked an attack immediately after being substituted in. After six set-point chances, two back-to-back digs by libero Shara Venegas in the same rally, and an unsuccessful Pulse challenge later, San Diego took the first set, 30-28.
The second set started close, though Dallas took it 25-18. Near the start of the set, Dallas scored six straight to go up 9-3. Monserez finally completed a kill to end the scoring drought. Great defense by Dallas alongside a high-powered offense led by outside hitter Mimi Colyer and setter Natalia Valentine-Anderson kept the Pulse scoring from everywhere on the court, increasing the lead to 13-6. Halfway through the second set, Dallas was significantly more balanced than the Mojo, with Pulse outside hitter Kaylee Cox becoming more dangerous as the set continued. The Mojo’s third service ace by Tabron (second by Grote) pulled San Diego within two, 14-12. The Mojo’s run continued, winning six points in a row before the Pulse scored three. Colyer’s offense presented a challenge for the Mojo all night as Dallas scored five points in a row and won the second set 25-18.
San Diego Mojo middle blocker Taylor Sandbothe. Photo courtesy of Major League Volleyball
Back-to-back attacks from Loberg opened the third set, making the score 3-2. More back-and-forth scoring from the teams followed. The Pulse went on a 7-0 run and achieved their first ace to go up 20-12. San Diego needed a response. Instead, three back-to-back hitting errors for Dallas’ outside hitter Sofia Maldonado Diaz gave San Diego three points, making it 21-16. However, Maldonado Diaz made up for the errors with three kills and a block to score the team's final four points. With that, the Pulse won the third set 25-17.
The Pulse had clearly found their footing by the fourth set, taking an early 6-1 lead. San Diego made a modest comeback, not slowing down defensively to make it 9-6. However, the momentum of the match was in the Pulse’s favor as they completed a 9-0 scoring run, making it 18-6. Mojo middle blocker Kayla Caffey was helped off the court with an injury, as Dallas scored two more points to go up 20-6. With their scoring run of 14-0, Pulse defense and offense suffocated the Mojo. Dallas tied the MLV season high of 21 blocks. A block from Brakočević ended the Mojo’s scoring drought, and they scored three points to make it 24-10. However, it was too little too late. Dallas scored their final point to win the fourth set, 25-10.
The fourth set was by far the most decisive of the match, with the Pulse overwhelming the Mojo. However, all of the Mojo players were seen after the match hugging each other, making each other laugh and smile,in true Mojo “togetherness” fashion.
The Dallas Pulse will meet the Omaha Supernovas in the MLV Championship finals on Saturday at 12 p.m. PDT for a prize of one million dollars, and can be watched on ION.
Top photo: San Diego Mojo in the semifinal match. Photo courtesy of Major League Volleyball.
