The Athletes Unlimited Women’s Volleyball Tournament witnessed a high-stakes match as Team Hentz clashed against Team Nuneviller. There was an initial setback for Team Nuneviller. However, they worked hard to overcome the first-set adversity. The back-and-forth match had spectators on the edge of their seats as Team Nuneviller hit the winning blow.

A recent social media upload broke the news of the result and showcased the final point of Nuneviller’s last match. Interestingly, while this was the final match of the season for the winning team, it also marked the final career match of a volleyball icon.

Volleyball icon misses her last laugh

America’s Deja McClendon is a 32-year-old volleyball icon. Representing Team Hentz in the Athletes Unlimited Tournament, McClendon played her final game as a pro. However, her departure was made sour by Team Nuneviller, who came back from the clutches of defeat to take the win. Athletes Unlimited tweeted the result on its official X account with the caption, “Team Nuneviller ends their #AUVB season with a W.” 

Nuneviller players hunted Team Hentz and limited their score to 20 points in set two, and then shut them down at just 18 points. Deja McClendon tried helping her squad to win the game with 5 kills and 5 digs, but it didn’t suffice. While McClendon couldn’t win her final game, she faced an opposition that was fitting to be her final opponent. Although her last match didn’t go the way she wanted it to, McClendon enjoyed a successful pro volleyball career. In fact, she scored over 200 digs despite playing for just 95 sets.

McClendon makes a mark with Athletes Unlimited

Deja McClendon specializes in the outside hitter position on the volleyball court. Outside hitters are the primary attackers from the left side of the court and are responsible for maintaining offensive flow. Contrary to what her role traditionally requires her to do, McClendon acts as a near-impenetrable defensive wall for her team. 

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Playing for 95 sets in her career, McClendon scorched the opposition with 175 kills. However, leaning more towards defense, she secured 231 digs for her team. Along with libero and team captain Morgan Hentz, McClendon made it extremely hard for the opponents to score points. While she may no longer play professional volleyball, her unorthodox style of play and infinite reliability will always be remembered.

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