GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The San Diego Mojo fell in three sets to the Grand Rapids Rise, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22, on Sunday afternoon at Van Andel Arena. San Diego drops to 3-4 on the season, while Grand Rapids picked up a fourth-straight win to improve to 4-3.
Kendra Dahlke was the top scorer for the Mojo, leading the squad with 14 points on 12 kills, one block and one service ace. Maya Tabron tallied 12 points courtesy 10 kills and two blocks, while also collecting six digs.
DaYeong Lee led the offense with 36 assists and eight digs, adding a season-high six points including a pair of aces, while Leyla Blackwell and Ronika Stone scored seven points each.
It was all Grand Rapids early in the match, as the Rise jumped out to a 5-1 lead before a Dahlke swing found its way through the Grand Rapids defense for a point. The GR offense kept rolling, opening a 20-11 advantage before Mojo began chipping away. San Diego put together a four-point run powered by a Stone kill, a Jenaisya Moore ace and a Tabron block to cut the deficit to five. But the Rise lead was too large to overtake, as the home side finished out the set taking five of the final nine points to win it, 25-19.
The Mojo found their rhythm in set two, taking an 8-3 lead at the outset with Blackwell picking up a kill and an ace and Stone tallying a pair of kills. San Diego appeared to me in command of the set, taking a 16-10 advantage into the break after a Tabron swing careened off a Rise block. Grand Rapids flipped the script after the timeout, winning the next three points, before utilizing a six-point run to move ahead 19-17. San Diego tried to recapture the momentum, but the Rise were in command through the remainder of the set, finishing out the frame with a 25-22 win.
Grand Rapids kept the foot on the gas at the start of set three, opening a 4-0 lead before San Diego was able to get on the board when an Elise McGhee kill started a four-point run for the Mojo to even the score. A three-point run by the Rise was matched by the Mojo, which led into a tight middle portion of the set that resulted in a 19-19 score late. Grand Rapids found another gear for the stretch run, claiming six of the final nine points to close out the set 25-22 for the match victory.
The Mojo will look to bounce back at home on Friday, Feb. 7 when the host the first-place Vegas Thrill. First serve is set for 7:05 p.m. PT with the first 1,000 fans receiving one-of-a-kind reversible Mojo bucket hats. The game will stream live on YouTube from inside Viejas Arena.
NOTES
- Kendra Dahlke scored eight points and had a .727 hitting percentage in the first set.
- DaYeong Lee contributed 14 assist in set two.
- San Diego had a season-high six service aces (2 – Leyla Blackwell, DaYeong Lee; 1 – Kendra Dahlke, Jenaisya Moore).
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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