Dallas Pulse wins MLV Championship in 5-Set thriller over Omaha
The Dallas Pulse completed a historic inaugural season on Saturday night, defeating the Omaha Supernovas in a dramatic five-set battle to capture the 2026 Major League Volleyball Championship. Dallas earned the 3-2 victory in the “Match For A Million,” becoming the first expansion franchise in league history to win a title in its debut season.
The match marked the first five-set championship in MLV history and was played in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,598 fans. Dallas finished with a narrow 100-95 edge in total points across the match, the smallest margin in championship history.
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Sofia Maldonado Diaz earned MVP honors after recording 26 kills, including five in the deciding fifth set. Natalia Valentin-Anderson added 43 assists, while Tristin Savage matched an MLV postseason record with seven blocks.
Omaha opened the match with a 25-20 first-set win before Dallas answered with a 25-23 victory in set two. The Supernovas regained momentum in the third set, cruising to a 25-15 win behind Merritt Beason and Brooke Nuneviller. Beason finished with 20 points, including 14 kills and five blocks, while Nuneviller added 15 kills. Sarah Parsons also recorded three aces in the third set, setting an MLV postseason record for aces in a single set.
Dallas responded with its strongest stretch of the night in the fourth set, jumping out to an early lead before rolling to a 25-13 win to force a fifth set. Maldonado Diaz led the Pulse with six kills in the frame.
The Pulse took control midway through the deciding set after turning a 3-3 tie into a 10-6 advantage. Omaha cut the deficit to two points late, but Dallas closed out the match to secure the title on its home floor.
Dallas entered the postseason with four All-League selections, tied with Indy for the most in the playoff field. Maldonado Diaz and Mimi Colyer earned First Team honors, while Valentin-Anderson and Layne Van Buskirk were named to the Second Team.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
