GRAND RAPIDS RISE 1 at Orlando Valkyries 3
March 1, 2024
ORLANDO, Fla. — Getting back into the win column after losing the last time out was the aim for both Pro Volleyball Federation teams Friday night as the Grand Rapids Rise squared off against the Orlando Valkyries inside Addition Financial Arena.
After splitting the first two sets, the Valkyries clutched up to claim the final two sets to win the match, 3-1, by set scores of 25-20, 21-25, 32-30, 27-25.
The opening set was last tied at 18-18 with neither team able to break free by three or more points. The Valkyries, however, put together a 7-2 run with a balanced attack across the court to take the first frame. Orlando hit .278 as a team with only four attack miscues — one error and three Rise blocks.
Rise opposite hitter Emiliya Dimitrova went off in the second set with eight kills on nine attack attempts (.888) to get Grand Rapids level in the match at one set apiece. At the other pin, outside hitter Claire Chaussee chipped in with six kills. The Rise offense looked unstoppable, boasting a .464 hitting percentage to win the set 25-21. Dimitrova and Chaussee combined to put down 21 out of the Rise’s 28 kills through the first two sets.
Dimitrova finished with a match-high 30 points (26 kills, two aces, two blocks). Chaussee recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 21 kills and 11 digs.
A strong start for Grand Rapids in the third set forced Orlando into an early timeout trailing 10-6. This included a successful Rise challenge on a Valkyries’ pancake dig that touched the floor. The Rise increased their advantage to 14-9 after a pair of diving digs by Chaussee kept a point alive long enough for the Valkyries to end up in the net on an ensuing block attempt.
Nonetheless, Orlando fought back to draw level at 19-19. Points were then traded up to 30-30 before the Valkyries finally pushed ahead and converted on their fifth set point with a kill from Adora Anae, 32-30. The Rise had three set points at 27-26, 28-27, and 29-28 but couldn’t finish. Grand Rapids has now played in four sets this season that have reached the 30-point plateau and has dropped all four.
Dimitrova and Chaussee once again paced the Rise attack with nine kills each in the third set. Defensively, Rise middle blocker Marin Grote had two of her team-leading four blocks in the frame. She entered the match leading the League with 1.11 blocks per set this season. Rise libero Sarah Sponcil finished with a team-high 14 digs to be the first Grand Rapids player to cross over 100 digs this season (111), averaging 4.63 digs per set played.
Orlando led early and often in the fourth and final frame. The Rise had to continuously battle back into the match after falling behind 2-3 points. Grand Rapids made its last push while trailing 22-19. Grote came up with a kill, followed by a block from Nia Grant and Dimitrova’s 26th kill to knot the score at 22-22.
Two consecutive kills from Anae gave the Valkyries their first two match point opportunities. The Rise stayed alive with Symone Abbott connecting on a big swing for a kill and setter Mac Podraza making her presence known at the net with a timely block, 24-24. Abbott stepped up again with another kill to void Orlando’s third match point at 25-24.
The Valkyries got another chance moments later after the 20th Rise service error of the match. Anae made this one count with her team-leading 21st kill to seal the 3-1 victory for Orlando with a 27-25 fourth-set win.
Notes
- The Rise are now 2-9 in sets decided by the minimum of two points and are 11-7 in sets when the winner doesn't need to go beyond 25 points (or 15 points in the fifth set).
- Grand Rapids had a minus-12 point differential behind the service line with 10 more serving errors and two fewer aces than Orlando.
- Rise setter Ashley Evans started the match and stayed on until the Rise trailed 20-17 in the fourth set before being replaced by Podraza. Evans tossed up a season-best 54 assists in the defeat.
- Orlando has alternated between wins and losses in every match so far this season.
- All three of the Rises' losses so far this season have come in four-set matches.
GR 20 25 30 25 — 1
ORL 25 21 32 27 — 3
Team Leaders
GR: Kills — Emiliya Dimitrova 26, Claire Chaussee 21, Nia Grant 7; Assists — Ashley Evans 54, Mac Podraza 4, Chaussee 2; Aces — Dimitrova 2, Chaussee 1, Marin Grote 1; Blocks — Grote 4, Dimitrova 2; Digs — Sarah Sponcil 14, Chaussee 11, Dimitrova 8, Symone Abbott 8.
ORL: Kills — Adore Anae 21, Jill Gillen 13, M’Kaela White 9; Assists — Wilma Rivera 49, Georgia Murphy 3, Carly Graham 3; Aces — Kaz Brown 2, Rivera 2; Blocks — Brown 5, White 2; Digs — Anae 14, Murphy 13, Rivera 11.
Record / Next Match
Grand Rapids: 3-3 / Mon., March 4 at San Diego Mojo, 10 p.m. EST
Orlando: 4-4 / Sun., March 3 vs. Columbus Fury, 3 p.m.
Photo by Ally Judkins/Orlando Valkyries