ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Valkyries will square off against the Grand Rapids Rise on Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m. The match will take place at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena and will air on CBS Sports Network.
This will be the second meeting between Orlando (6-8) and Grand Rapids (6-7). The Valkyries won the first meeting 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 32-30, 27-25) on March 1. The Rise have lost two straight matches, and the Valkyries are coming off a big 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-17) victory over the Columbus Fury.
Grand Rapids currently holds the No. 3 spot in the Pro Volleyball Federation standings and the Valkyries No. 4, so the two teams will be jousting for playoff seeding.
Valkyries Players to Watch:
Wilma Rivera had a brilliant performance in the Valkyries last match against Columbus. The setter had eight points (six aces, one block and one kill) and dished out 41 assists. Rivera is a fifth-year pro with stints with various teams, including Amazonas de Trujillo Alto, Valencianas de Juncos, Volley-Ball Club Chamalières, and Rote Raben Vilsbiburg. Currently representing the Puerto Rico national team, Rivera recently earned recognition as the Best Server at the World Olympic Qualification 2024. In her collegiate years, she amassed a collection of honors, including ACC Setter of the Year, AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, AVCA All-Region First Team and ACC All-Conference First Team.
Adora Anae led the Valkyries in points (20) and kills (17) with an efficient .520 hitting percentage against the Fury. She is leading the Valkyries in points (19.3) and kills (16.7) per match. The outside hitter is the first Orlando player to clinch the Pro Volleyball Federation's Player of the Week title, winning the honor in week 3 of the 2024 season. Anae is a sixth-year pro, with experiences from various countries, including South Korea, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Greece. Prior to her professional career, Anae excelled at the University of Utah, where she earned recognition as the first-ever player named to the 1st-Team Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. She holds the record for the school's all-time single season kills (501) and was the first player in program history to achieve consecutive AVCA All-American honors, as well as being named to the All-AVCA First Team.
Rise Players to Watch:
Emiliya Dimitrova, an opposite hitter, is leading Grand Rapids in total points (21.4) and kills (19.2) per match. In the Rise’s last contest against the Atlanta Vibe, she recorded 20 kills. Dimitrova, who made her pro debut in 2007 at 16 years old, is in her seventeenth professional season. She has played for 13 different clubs in six countries: Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Japan and France. Dimitrova is also a member of the Bulgarian National Team and has captured five medals, including two gold.
Claire Chaussee is second on the Rise in total points (18.7) and kills (17) per match. Chaussee, an outside hitter, has had double-digit kills in all but one match this season. In Grand Rapids’ last contest against Atlanta, she recorded 12 points (nine kills, two aces and one block). This is Chaussee’s third professional season. She attended the University of Louisville, where she won the 2022 ACC Player of the Year, in addition to being named a AVCA First Team All-American, the AVCA All-East Region Player of the Year and Final Four All-Tournament Team honoree.
The Valkyries and Rise will face off two more times in the 2024 season.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the present and future of professional volleyball in North America. The League began play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players joined by elite standouts from around the world. Seven teams have taken the court in the first season, with 10 teams scheduled for the 2025 campaign. Our focus is on ensuring that the level and quality of play, treatment of players and the entire fan experience is world class and the best offered anywhere. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
ABOUT ORLANDO VALKYRIES
The Orlando Valkyries, proud member team in the Pro Volleyball Federation — the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The Valkyries, which began play in January 2024, play out of Addition Financial Arena, located in the heart of the University of Central Florida campus. Tickets are on sale now. For more information on how to get tickets, contact the Orlando Valkyries sales department at (321)-244-4600 Ext. 113, email Tickets@OrlandoValkyries.com, click on OrlandoValkyries.com, visit the Addition Financial Arena box office or go to the Ticketmaster website: Ticketmaster.com. Fans can follow the team on Facebook or via X, Instagram and TikTok — @ORLValkyries or visit OrlandoValkyries.com.
* Orlando Valkyries, Pro Volleyball, DIG IT! *