San Diego Mojo falls in straight sets at Atlanta Vibe
ATLANTA – The San Diego Mojo fell in three sets to league leader Atlanta Vibe, 25-21, 25-23, 25-16, at the Gas South Arena on Saturday. The loss dropped San Diego to 3-7 on the year, while Atlanta improved to 11-4.
Temi Thomas-Ailara led the Mojo with 11 points and added nine digs, while Lindsey Vander Weide scored nine points and Alison Bastianelli added seven.
The Mojo were in command in the early portion of the first set, jumping to a 4-2 lead and building the advantage to three points at 7-4 until a three-point Vibe run evened the score at seven apiece. San Diego collected the next two points, but another Atlanta run gave the Vibe their first lead since the match's opening point at 10-9. The Vibe claimed seven of the next nine points to build the lead to six at 17-11, eventually winning the set, 25-15. Both teams had a 50 percent reception percentage in the set and two blocks, but Atlanta’s 14 kills to San Diego’s seven led to a set win for the Vibe. Thomas-Ailara paced the Mojo with five points in the set.
San Diego had trouble finding a rhythm at the start of the second set and the Vibe jumped to a quick 5-1 lead. Atlanta’s advantage grew to six points at 9-3 and then eight at 16-8. The Mojo battled back, scoring three straight points to cut their deficit to 16-11, punctuated by back-to-back big swings from Kendra Dahlke and Lindsey Vander Weide, but San Diego was unable to get any closer. The Vibe wall stifled the San Diego attack and Atlanta took command of the set, collecting nine of the next 15 points to win, 25-17. Dahlke and Thomas-Ailara scored four points each in the set for the Mojo.
In a set that featured a series of runs, Atlanta opened the third frame scoring the first five points, but San Diego responded with a five-point run of their own to even the score, punctuated by a Bastianelli kill. The Vibe quickly regained momentum and earned the next three points only to see the lead disappear with another five-point run by the Mojo that saw them take their first lead of the set. Atlanta added the next four points onto the scoreboard to go up by two, 12-10. San Diego fought back, regaining the lead at 16-15 courtesy of Bastiianelli block, and held a 19-18 advantage late in the set, but the Vibe closed out the match with seven of the next nine points to win, 25-21.
San Diego returns home for a three-match homestand starting on Tuesday, April 2 against the Omaha Supernovas. First serve inside Viejas Arena is set for 7 p.m.