Nebraska-bound Pierce leads Team Fire to UA Next volleyball victory

Skyler Pierce, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter from Lenexa, Kansas, was named MVP of the UA Next All-America volleyball match Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, after her Team Fire beat Team Ice in five sets.

Pierce, a product of Olathe Northwest High School who is headed to play in college at Nebraska, had a match-high 17 kills — five in the fifth set with no errors in seven attacks — in the 23-25, 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 15-9 victory. Pierce had just two errors in 28 attacks and hit .536 to go with an assist, five digs and a big fifth-set block.

Hannah Benjamin, an outside hitter from Cumming, Georgia, who is going to Kentucky, had 11 kills for the Fire, an assist, two aces and six digs. Kennedy Osunsanmi, an uncommited right side from Ranch, California, had six kills, an assist, two digs and three blocks. Charlie Fuerbringer, a setter from Hermosa Beach headed to Wisconsin, had six kills in 15 errorless attacks, 27 assists, an ace and five digs.

Payton Peterson from Dike, Iowa, who is headed to Louisville, led Team Ice with 13 kills, an assist, an ace and three digs. Kiki Horne, a UCLA signee from Raleigh, North Carolina, had 10 kills, an assist, two digs and a block. Bailey Higgins, a right side from Tampa who is going to Florida State to play beach, had 10 kills, hit .350, and had an assist, two digs and a block. Setter Izzy Starck from Rockledge, Florida, and who is headed to Penn State, had a kill in three errorless tries, 18 assists and 10 digs. Taylor Parks, who is from Oldsmar, Florida, and will stay in state at Florida, had two kills in five errorless tries, 20 assists, four digs and a block.