Updated
Updated · Bleacher Report · Aug 28
SMU Reaches $150,000 Final at First Spikes Under the Lights Event
Updated
Updated · Bleacher Report · Aug 28

SMU Reaches $150,000 Final at First Spikes Under the Lights Event

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Aug 28

Summary

  • No. 11 SMU swept No. 10 Penn State in the semifinal to reach the championship match, with Suli Davis finishing with 11 kills and the winning spike.
  • AT&T Stadium in Dallas is hosting the first Spikes Under the Lights event, where four ranked teams each received $200,000 to participate and the winner earns an extra $150,000.
  • No. 1 Nebraska joined SMU in the final after beating No. 17 Florida in straight sets, posting 23 kills, 26 digs, two aces and seven blocks.
  • The result gives SMU an early-season statement win over a top-10 opponent in a made-for-TV college volleyball event carrying a $1 million total prize pool.

Insights

What happens when women's college volleyball takes over a massive NFL stadium for an unprecedented million-dollar prize pool?
Behind the stunning upsets, did playing in a cavernous football stadium actually help or hinder the athletes' performance?