GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — March 7, 2026 — LOVB Salt Lake faced a difficult road test Saturday night, falling in straight sets to LOVB Nebraska (29-27, 25-16, 25-22) at the Heartland Events Center.
The opening set proved to be a marathon battle with Salt Lake pushing Nebraska to extra points before falling 29-27. Nebraska utilized that momentum to control the second frame and resisted a Salt Lake rally in the third to clinch the match. The home side was led by Player of the Match Jordan Larson, who turned in a stellar performance with 14 kills and 13 digs. Nebraska's balanced attack featured four players in double digits, including Anne Buijs and Kimberly Drewniok, who each tallied 13 kills, while Candelaria Herrera dominated the net. Six of her 11 total points came from blocks.
Despite the result, Salt Lake saw strong individual offensive showings. Claire Hoffman led the team with 15 kills, matching her season high, and Roni Jones-Perry was highly efficient, terminating 12 kills at a .429 clip. Setter Jordyn Poulter ran the offense with 36 assists, while Serena Gray led the defensive effort at the net with three blocks. Libero Manami Kojima remained consistent in the back row, anchoring the defense with 12 digs.
Saturday’s match was played in front of a sold out crowd in Grand Island, Nebraska, about two hours west of LOVB Nebraska’s usual home court near Omaha. While on-court performance wasn’t up to Poulter’s expectations, she relished the opportunity to play in front of another raucous crowd.
“I’ve had the privilege of playing in the state of Nebraska a lot, both in college and now as a pro,” Poulter said. “Trying to remove the emotion of losing, it was really cool to be part of. When you have players who’ve made such an impact on the sport and are leaving a legacy that inspires the next generation, that’s really why we’re all choosing to play in this league. It felt special to be a part of tonight. Of course, we wish we could have put up a little more of a fight.”
Salt Lake (8-6) will now have a full week to reset and prepare for a rematch. They return to their own raucous home gym, Bruin Arena, next Saturday, March 14 to host this same Nebraska team. That chance at revenge begins at 7 p.m. Mountain and may be streamed on ESPN+.
