This Week’s Matches
RISE (12-12) vs. Atlanta Vibe (19-5) // Wed., May 15 // 7 p.m. ET // CHI Health Center
Watch: CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m.
Season Series: 2-2 Overall, 1-1 Home, 1-1 Away.
Noteworthy: The top-seeded Atlanta Vibe and No. 4-seeded Grand Rapids Rise compete in the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation playoff match at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The winner of the semifinal affair advances to League championship match to face the winner of the No. 2-seeded Omaha Supernovas and No. 3-seeded San Diego Mojo.
Pro Volleyball Federation Championship Match // Sat., May 18 // 4:30 p.m. ET // CHI Health Center
Watch: CBS Sports Network at 4:30 p.m.
Season Series: 1-3 Overall, 1-1 Home, 0-2 Away (against both Omaha and San Diego)
Noteworthy: If Grand Rapids upsets No. 1-seeded Atlanta, then the Rise would face either host Omaha or San Diego in the final. The championship-winning team will receive a trophy and $1 million. The hardware stands 26 inches tall, with an antique gold and black finish. The ball at the top is a full-size, exact replica of the REAL Pro Volleyball – which was custom-made for use by the players in the League.
The Final Four: The Rise are the No. 4 seed in Pro Volleyball Federation playoffs and are facing the top-seeded Atlanta Vibe in the semifinals. The two teams split in the regular season with Grand Rapids winning the first two meetings on Feb. 9 and Feb. 18 before Atlanta won the next two on April 1 and April 16. The Vibe are 15-2 since the start of March, but they enter the postseason having been idle for 13 days after playing their regular-season finale against Columbus on May 2.
The other semifinal match will feature the No. 2-seeded Omaha Supernovas against the No. 3-seeded San Diego Mojo. Omaha and San Diego are also 2-2 against each other this season. Atlanta is a combined 9-3 against the other playoff teams, whereas Omaha (6-6), San Diego (5-7), and Grand Rapids (4-8) are .500 or below.
| Home Team --> | #1 ATL | #2 OMA | #3 SD | #4 GR |
| #1 ATL | -- |
3-2 ATL 3-1 ATL |
3-0 ATL 3-0 ATL |
3-2 GR 3-1 ATL |
| #2 OMA |
3-0 OMA 3-0 ATL |
-- |
3-1 SD 3-2 SD |
3-1 OMA 3-2 GR |
| #3 SD |
3-0 ATL 3-0 ATL |
3-0 OMA 3-2 OMA |
-- |
3-1 SD 3-0 GR |
| #4 GR |
3-1 GR 3-1 ATL |
3-1 OMA 3-2 OMA |
3-1 SD 3-2 SD |
-- |
The two semifinal winners will advance to the League championship match on Saturday, May 18, at 4:30 p.m. All three postseason matches are being broadcast by CBS Sports Network. There will also be pre- and post-match shows streamed on the Pro Volleyball Federation YouTube channel.
Tale of the Tape: A side-by-side comparison between the Rise and Vibe across the four matches they have played against each other:
| #1 Atlanta | #4 Grand Rapids | |
| Head-to-Head Wins: | 2 | 2 |
| Sets Won: | 9 | 8 |
| Points Per Set: | 22.2 | 21.9 |
| Kills Per Match: | 59.3 | 56 |
| Hitting Percentage: | .244 | .209 |
| Aces Per Match: | 2.5 | 3 |
| Blocks Per Match: | 11.5 | 9.8 |
| Digs Per Match: | 79.8 | 72.3 |
Regular Season Team Leaders
| #1 Atlanta | #4 Grand Rapids | |
| Matches Played: | Eight Players (24) | Three Players (24) |
| Sets Played: | L. Edmond/M. Hentz (89) | M. Grote (98) |
| Points: | L. Edmond (438) | C. Chaussee (429) |
| Kills: | L. Edmond (381) | C. Chaussee (395) |
| Attack Attempts: | L. Edmond (963) | C. Chaussee (1,113) |
| Hitting Percentage: | M. Jehlářová (.332) | M. Grote (.300) |
| Double-Doubles: | M. Monserez (13) | C. Chaussee (15) |
| Assists: | M. Monserez (784) | A. Evans (999) |
| Aces: | S. Fanning (19) | M. Grote (17) |
| Digs: | M. Hentz (373) | C. Chaussee (257) |
| Blocks: | M. Jehlářová (48) | M. Grote (64) |
Championship Experience: The Rise roster is comprised of numerous coaches and players who have either reached a playoff final or won a title for their respective pro, college, or national team(s).
Symone Abbott:
- 2021-22 Nomikeia Tournament Winner (AO Thiras);
- 2021-22 Greek Cup Finalist (AO Thiras);
- 2018-19 French Cup Winner (Saint-Raphael Var).
Kayla Caffey:
- 2022 NCAA Title (Univ. of Texas);
- 2021 NCAA Finalist (Univ. of Nebraska).
Claire Chaussee:
- 2022 NCAA Finalist (Univ. of Louisville).
Assistant Coach Denis Dimitrov:
- 2021 European Golden League (Bulgaria);
- 2018-19 Romanian Cup Finalist (CSM Targoviste).
Emiliya Dimitrova:
- 2021 European Golden League Winner (Bulgaria);
- 2014 Yeltsin Cup Winner (Bulgaria);
- 2012 & 2010 European Golden League Finalist (Bulgaria);
- 2019-20 Bulgarian League Winner (VC Maritz);
- 2018-19 Romanian Cup Finalist (CSM Targoviste);
- 2017-18 Challenge Cup Finalist (Bursa BBSK);
- 2016-17 Japan V.League DI Winner (NEC Red Rockets);
- 2013-14 Italian Supercup Finalist (Prosecco D-I Conegliano);
- 2010-11 Romanian League Winner (Tomis Constanta);
- 2008-09 Bulgarian Cup Finalist (Slavia Sofia);
- 2008-09 & 2007-08 Bulgarian League Finalist (Slavia Sofia).
Camila Gómez:
- 2022 Pan-American Cup Finalist (Colombia);
- 2019 Pan-American Games Finalist (Colombia);
- 2021 & 2017 S.A. Championships Finalist (Colombia);
- 2018 FIVB Challenge Cup Finalist (Colombia);
- 2018 South American Games Winner (Colombia);
- 2022-23 Copa São Paulo Winner (EC Pinheiros);
- 2022-23 Paulista Championship Finalist (EC Pinheiros);
- 2020-21 Troféu Super Vôlei Finalist (Sesc-RJ/Flamengo);
- 2020-21 Carioca Championship Winner (Sesc-RJ/Flamengo);
- 2020-21 Brazilian Supercup Finalist (Sesc-RJ/Flamengo);
- 2017 & 2016 NJCAA Div. 1 National Titles (Miami Dade).
Molly Lohman:
- 2023-24 French Supercup Finalist (Béziers Volley);
- 2021-22 Finnish Mestaruusliiga Winner (Pölkky Kuusamo);
- 2021-22 Finnish Cup Winner (Pölkky Kuusamo);
- 2019-20 Hungarian Cup Finalist (Fatum Nyíregyháza).
Shannon Scully:
- 2022 NCAA Beach Title (USC).
Sarah Sponcil:
- 2019 & 2018 NCAA Beach Title (UCLA).
Finale Fireworks: Grand Rapids ended its inaugural regular season on Sunday with a memorable come-from-behind victory over the Supernovas. The Rise overcame a 2-1 deficit to improve to 3-4 in five-set matches and beat Omaha for the first time this season. Both squads rotated through everybody on their respective active rosters to rest key starters heading into the playoffs. It was the first time this season that Grand Rapids played all 14 players in a match. With the starters on the floor in the opening set, the Rise won 25-16 and hit a season-best .586. Omaha then went to its reserves and won the second and third sets. The Rise called upon their bench at the end of the third set and stuck with them through the end of the match.
A total of 5,262 spectators filled Van Andel Arena, the second-largest Rise home crowd behind the sellout season-opener on Jan. 25 (7,805). The final inaugural season attendance was 53,881 over 12 home matches (4,490 average). Grand Rapids finished 7-5 at home after winning four out of the last five matches at Van Andel Arena.
Mini Milestones Tracker: The following achievements were accomplished in the May 12 match against the Omaha Supernovas:
- Abbott: .500 hitting percentage (tied fifth-best for a Rise player this season with a minimum of 10 attack attempts) with eight kills and one attack error on 14 swings;
- Chaussee: Season-high .444 hitting percentage (20 kills and four errors on 36 attack attempts);
- Lohman: First ace of this season;
- Erika Pritchard and Scully: Reached 200 attack attempts for the year;
- Grand Rapids Rise: Hit a set-record .586 in the opening frame, finished the match with the most team assists (65), and tied the team record for most kills (72).
Heading into the Sunset: After a 17-year career, Dimitrova is retiring from professional volleyball at the end of this season. The Rise captain made her pro debut in 2007 with Slavia Sofia in Bulgaria when she was 16 years old. She had played for 13 club teams in six countries (Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Japan, and France) before coming to the United States in 2023. In her future endeavors, she aims to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher while expanding her family in Bulgaria with her husband, Rise assistant coach, Dimitrov.
Dimitrova finished the regular season ranked second in the League in points (4.75) and kills (4.26) per set. In 22 matches played, she racked up 371 kills (.240), 252 digs, 30 blocks, 18 assists, and 12 aces.
Set-By-Set Breakdown: A look at how the Rise have fared across the different sets:
- First Set: 17-7 with a +63 point differential (588-525);
- Second Set: 13-11 with a -14 differential (540-554);
- Third Set: 8-16 with a -12 point differential (558-570);
- Fourth Set: 10-10 with a -3 point differential (468-471);
- Fifth Set: 3-4 with a -8 point differential (82-90).
Grand Rapids finished the regular season with a +26 point differential (2,236-2,210) and is 51-48 across all sets played. The Rise are 11-18 in sets decided by the minimum of two points and 24-19 in sets decided by five points or more.
Rise – Vibe Connections: Two who followed a similar path to the pros and two teammate reunions:
- Atlanta Vibe head coach Todd Dagenais graduated from Central Michigan ('95) and spent five seasons with the Michigan State women's volleyball team from 1998-2003 serving as the associate head coach. He left the program before Rise head coach Cathy George took over as MSU's head coach in 2005.
- Rise setter Ashley Evans (2013-17) and Vibe opposite hitter Grace Cleveland (2018-21) played college volleyball for Purdue but missed being teammates by a year.
- Middle blockers Caffey (Rise) and Shelly Fanning (Vibe) played together professionally in Puerto Rico with Criollas de Caguas during the 2022-23 season.
- Middle blockers Lohman (Rise) and Regan Pittman (Vibe) played two seasons together at the University of Minnesota from 2016-17. Pittman redshirted in 2016.
Rise – Supernovas Connections: Paths that will cross again if Grand Rapids faces Omaha:
- Omaha interim head coach Laura "Bird" Kuhn was the head coach at Texas A&M from 2018-22 and brought in Rise player Gómez from Miami Dade College (NJCAA) to be her starting libero for the Aggies' 2019 season.
- Evans, along with Supernovas' players Brooke Nuneviller and Danielle Hart, have played/trained with the United States women's indoor volleyball national team that has qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
- Omaha outside hitter Maggie King was a five-year starter, four-time First Team All-MAC member for the Western Michigan women’s volleyball team from 2019-23.
Rise – Mojo Connections: There are a handful of players who are linked together or have ties to Michigan or California:
- Middle blockers Lohman (Rise) and Hannah Tapp (Mojo) played three seasons together at the University of Minnesota (2014-16).
- Rise middle blocker Caffey and Mojo libero Shara Marie Venegas Medina played in Puerto Rico together during the 2022-23 season with Criollas de Caguas.
- Rise libero Sponcil (UCLA) and outside hitter Scully (USC) both went to college in California. Scully is from Huntington Beach, Calif.
- Mojo middle blocker Alison Bastianelli is a Marysville, Mich., native who played college volleyball for Illinois and was a volunteer assistant coach for Michigan in 2021.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Rise