By Liam Farrell
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Mojo dropped their 2025 home opener to the Orlando Valkyries in four sets (25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 25-15) on Thursday night at Viejas Arena. The Valkyries improved to 2-1, while the Mojo fell to 1-2 on the early year.
Outside hitter Kendra Dahlke posted a double-double, with a game-leading 18 digs, while also registering 14 kills. Maya Tabron had a strong performance as well, which was highlighted by her team-leading 15 kills and 16 points in her home debut.
The Mojo also received a strong performance from Ronika Stone, who recorded eight points of her own. Setter DaYeong Lee led the Mojo with 37 assists and libero Shara Venegas recorded 16 digs.
After sharing the first 10 points of the home opener, the Valkyries grew a three-point lead that the Mojo attempted to recover from the remained of the set. Dahlke was instrumental in the Mojo’s quest for a first set victory, posting a team leading eight kills within the first set alone. In the end, self-inflicted mistakes derailed the comeback attempt, as four service errors from San Diego led to Orlando claiming a set one victory, 25-23.
The second set started off in the exact same manner as the previous one, with the teams holding a 5-5 tie after the first 10 points and continuing to go back-and-forth through the 30th point. Then, with Lee at the service helm, the Mojo collected a 5-0 run that gave them enough insurance to last the remainder of the second set. The Mojo also played a much more polished set than the Valkyries, who tallied seven service errors that ultimately plagued their attempts of a set two victory. While the self-imposed mistakes from Orlando boosted the Mojo’s lead, Tabron was everywhere on the court for San Diego. The rookie outside hitter from SMU had six digs and five kills alone in the second set that powered San Diego to a 25-20 set victory.
After a sloppy second set from the Valkyries, Orlando came out of halftime with a tightened focus. They jumped out to an early advantage and held that edge into the media timeout, with a 15-10 lead. The five-point deficit was too much to overcome in the third set, despite Stone and Lee’s heroic efforts, as San Diego dropped the third set, 25-17.
The fourth set was eerily similar to set three, in which the Valkyries took a commanding lead before the media timeout, which was enough to fend off the resilient Mojo. The Valkyries had 15-10, 20-11 leads in the fourth that sank the Mojo’s comeback efforts and ultimately decided the game. The final score from the fourth set was 25- 15.
Next up, the Mojo travel to Nebraska to square off with the defending Pro Volleyball Federation champion Omaha Supernovas on Sunday, Jan. 19. First serve from the CHI Health Center is at 1:00 p.m. PT and the game will stream live on YouTube.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO MOJO
San Diego Mojo are a women’s professional volleyball team in San Diego, Calif. and is a founding member of Pro Volleyball Federation, the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The Mojo are led by 2024 PVF Coach of the Year and three-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park and play their home matches at Viejas Arena on the campus of San Diego State University. The team is owned by longtime San Diegan and UC San Diego alum Gary E. Jacobs, a co-founder and Chairman of the Board of the Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Charter School and managing director of Jacobs Investment Company (JIC).
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
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