Dayton falls to Nebraska in Sweet 16 of NCAA volleyball tournament

“We had some tough things that happened,” Dayton coach Tim Horsmon said in the post-match press conference. “We played a really good team, a team that has a great chance to win a national championship, and I think we had some really good moments.”

The first set was tied 14-14. Nebraska scored the next four points and led the rest of the way. Nebraska led throughout the second set and ended the set with an 8-4 run.

Dayton trailed 25-24 in the third set but scored the last three points. Nebraska dominated the fourth set.

Dayton had a .087 attack percentage. It was the first time in more than 100 matches that number was below .100.

Fifth-year outside hitter Lexie Almodoar recorded 20 kills. Liana Sarkissian had eight kills and three blocks. Alayna Yates had five kills and five blocks. Karissa Kaminski had 16 digs.

Alyssa Miller had 21 assists despite missing time in the first and second sets with an injury.

“Throughout this whole season, we’ve been through countless forms of adversity — individual players and just as a team — and we’ve always come back punching and come back fighting,” Almodovar said. “We never give up in those situations. I think that’s what makes this team special. Everyone’s committed to that. Alyssa was committed to that tonight, just refusing to give up and refusing to not show up for us in that moment. It didn’t matter how hurt she was or how much she was struggling. I think she was going to come back and play with us because that’s just who she is, and that’s who we are as Dayton Flyers.”

It was the final college match for Almodovar, Miller, Yates, Brooke Smith, Brooke Nichols and Alia Williams.

Third-ranked Nebraska (32-2), a five-time national champion, advanced to play No. 7 Wisconsin at 3 p.m. Sunday. Wisconsin beat Texas A&M 3-2 in the first match Friday.

“Congrats to Dayton their season,” Nebraska coach John Cook said. “They’re a tough team to play against. They do some really nice things.”

Nebraska will play in the regional final for the 33rd time. That’s the most appearances in NCAA history. It has reached the regional final in 12 of the past 13 seasons.

Nebraska improved to 86-7 all-time in home NCAA tournament matches. It is 31-2 at the Devaney Center.

The match was scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. (Ohio time) but started around 10:15 p.m. because of the five-set match between Wisconsin and Texas A&M.

“It was a pretty late night,” Horsmon said. “We’re usually not up this late. I’m not anyway. So maybe it was just that I was tired. That third set took a lot of energy out of us.”