This Week’s Matches
RISE (2-3) vs. Orlando Valkyries (2-3) // Thu., Jan. 30 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
Listen: 96.1 The Game at 7 p.m.
Watch: WXSP-TV and YouTube at 7 p.m.
Season Series: First of four meetings overall, first of two at Van Andel Arena
All-Time Regular Season Series: 2-2 Overall, 1-1 Home
Noteworthy: This is the first meeting this season between the Rise and Valkyries. The two teams split their regular-season contests last year with Orlando winning the first two matches before the Rise bounced back to win the last two. All four matches produced a different outcome — Orlando winning in four and five sets, and the Rise winning in three and four sets. Both teams also won once at home and once on the road.
RISE vs. San Diego Mojo (3-2) // Sun., Feb. 2 // 4 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
Listen: 96.1 The Game at 3:45 p.m.
Watch: YouTube at 4 p.m.
Season Series: First of four meetings overall, first of two at Van Andel Arena
All-Time Regular Season Series: 1-3 Overall, 1-1 Home
Noteworthy: The Rise will play their first back-to-back home matches of the season. Last year, San Diego won the first three meetings before Grand Rapids responded with a sweep on May 5, clinching a playoff berth in the League’s inaugural season. In the other three matches, the Mojo needed at least four sets to win. San Diego will host the Atlanta Vibe on Thursday night before flying to Grand Rapids.
Rising Up: After dropping their first three matches of the season, the Rise have turned things around, winning their last two matches — including the franchise's first-ever reverse sweep win against the Columbus Fury on Sunday (Jan. 26). Now, Grand Rapids is just one win away from a three-match winning streak, which would equal their best run from last season, when they closed out the regular season with two wins and then defeated the top-seeded Atlanta Vibe in the playoff semifinals.
Surviving the First Road Test: Opening the season with four of their first five matches on the road was less than ideal, but the Rise made the most of it, finishing 2-2 away from home with wins in Atlanta and Columbus. Grand Rapids won’t face back-to-back road matches again until mid-April, when the team embarks on a final three-match road stretch, visiting Orlando on April 10, Indy on April 12, and Omaha on April 17.
Snyder PVF Player of the Week: Rise outside hitter Carli Snyder was named the Week 3 Pro Volleyball Federation Player of the Week. Snyder delivered a season-high 22 points, including 17 kills with a .429 attack percentage, seven digs, three aces, and two blocks in the 3-2 win over Columbus. The Macomb, Michigan, native has been a consistent offensive weapon for the Rise this season, leading the team with 53 kills. Snyder also ranks fourth in the League with six aces and is 10th in kills per set at 2.94.
This is Snyder’s first career PVF Player of the Week honor. She is the second player in Rise history to receive the League’s weekly award, joining opposite hitter Emiliya Dimitrova, who earned the accolade for Week 4 of last season.
I am Grote: Rise middle blocker Marin Grote and Orlando opposite hitter Lydia Grote will face off professionally for the first time, bringing their sibling rivalry to the PVF stage. Marin has been a key presence for the Rise, playing in all five matches (15 sets) and contributing 21 kills (.365), a team-high 10 blocks, and 10 digs. Lydia, meanwhile, made her PVF debut on Jan. 9 against the Mojo and has appeared in five sets, recording three kills against the Indy Ignite on Jan. 11.
Offensively Efficient: Orlando and Grand Rapids lead the league in team attack percentage, hitting .283 and .263, respectively. Both offenses have been highly efficient, converting kills quickly while minimizing errors. The Rise average a league-low 1.53 attack errors per set, with Orlando close behind at 1.85 per set.
Raven's Debut: First-round draft pick Raven Colvin made her professional debut for the Rise on Sunday in Columbus, delivering an immediate impact. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker out of Purdue entered in the third set with Grand Rapids trailing 0-2 and provided a spark, playing the final three sets. She finished the match with four kills (.250), two blocks, and a dig.
With Colvin’s debut, all four of the Rise’s draft picks who made the roster this season — including Naya Shime, Camryn Turner, and Elena Oglivie — have now seen action on the court.
Danger Alert: Rise setter August Raskie, nicknamed "Danger," nearly made history on Sunday in Columbus, finishing three kills shy of the team's first triple-double. The crafty left-hander tallied 45 assists, 10 digs, and a season-high seven kills (.600). Raskie has recorded double-doubles in four of five matches and is averaging 9.5 assists per set.
Roster Moves: On Tuesday, the Rise made four roster transactions. Opposite hitter Kaleigh Nelson and libero Valeria León were moved from the practice squad to the active roster, while libero Jena Otec was placed on the practice squad and opposite hitter Sherridan Atkinson was waived.
Nelson last played professionally during the 2017-18 season in Sweden with Engelholm VS. She was ranked the Swedish League’s best scorer and opposite hitter, as Engelholm VS won the Swedish League and Swedish Cup.
León played with the Columbus Fury last season, racking up 270 digs and 65 assists in 24 matches played (87 sets). The Ponce, Puerto Rico, native is in her eighth professional season.
Rise-Valkyries Connections: A handful of reunions:
- Sisters Marin Grote (Rise, middle blocker) and Lydia Grote (Valkyries, opposite hitter) meet in the professional ranks for the first time.
- Former Rise outside hitter Shannon Scully returns to Van Andel Arena for the first time as a member of the Valkyries.
- Shime and Orlando middle blocker Natalie Foster helped SMU reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past fall.
- Raskie goes up against former Oregon teammate Lindsey Vander Weide. They played together for four seasons with the Ducks (2015-18). Raskie and Rise middle blocker Ali Bastianelli were teammates with Vander Weide on the San Diego Mojo last season.
- Rise opposite hitter Nelson and Orlando outside hitter Courtney Schwan played one season together (2014) at the University of Washington.
Rise-Mojo Connections: Past teammates reconnect and players go against their former team:
- Raskie and Bastianelli face their former team from a season ago for the first time. Raskie also played collegiately with Mojo middle blockers Ronika Stone (2016-18) and Lauren Page (2015-18) while at Oregon.
- Former Rise libero Sarah Sponcil returns to Van Andel Arena for the first time as a member of the San Diego Mojo.
- Shime and San Diego outside hitter Maya Tabron helped SMU reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past fall.
- Former Columbus teammates León, Jenaisya Moore, and Rainelle Jones square off. Jones also played three seasons at Maryland (2018-20) with Rise outside hitter Erika Pritchard.
- León played with Mojo outside hitter Kendra Dahlke during the 2020-21 season at Leonas de Ponce in Puerto Rico.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Rise