GRAND RAPIDS RISE 1 vs. Atlanta Vibe 3
Feb. 13, 2025
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The first four-set match of the season was unkind to the Grand Rapids Rise Thursday night inside Van Andel Arena. The Rise suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Atlanta Vibe by set scores of 21-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19. The Vibe avenged being swept by the Rise in Atlanta on Jan. 19 in their first meeting of the season.
Grand Rapids claimed the opening set with 11 kills on 28 error-free swings, hitting an impressive .393 while also outblocking the Vibe, 6-0. Rise outside hitter Erika Pritchard led the offensive charge with six kills at a staggering .625 clip. Blocking was a collective effort, with five different players contributing at least one point. Opposite hitter Kaleigh Nelson sealed the set with a kill, securing a 25-21 victory. Atlanta had six service errors in the first frame and hit .175 as a team.
Pritchard finished with a team-high 17 points, with 15 kills (.382), one block, and an ace.
The Rise improved to 5-4 in first sets this season, with a 207-205 edge in total points scored.
A quick 3-0 spurt from the Vibe, with kills from Pia Timmer (twice) and Khori Louis, forced the Rise into an early timeout down 10-7 in the second set. Middle blocker Alyssa Jensen and setter Camryn Turner both entered the match. It was Jensen’s first action since the third match of the season on Jan. 16 at Indy Ignite and she replaced Nelson as the opposite hitter. Turner last got time as the Rise’s setter back in the team’s home opener on Jan. 12 against the Omaha Supernovas.
The Jensen and Turner change helped the Rise get back within a point, 13-12, but the Vibe outscored the Rise 12-6 down the stretch to even the match at one set apiece with a 25-18 set win. It was the second straight match and third of this season that Grand Rapids entered the third set tied at 1-1.
Leading 20-17, Grand Rapids surrendered a 5-0 Vibe run, falling behind late in the third set. The Rise fought back to tie it at 22-22, capitalizing on an Atlanta attack error and Ali Bastianelli’s fifth block of the match. However, the Vibe answered, closing out the set with three straight points — a kill from Marlie Monserez, followed by a second ace and a kill from reigning PVF Player of the Year Leah Edmond.
Edmond’s third ace, the Vibe’s ninth, gave Atlanta an 8-3 lead to open the fourth set. Grand Rapids made a push with setter August Raskie behind the service line, producing a 6-0 run to trim the deficit down to 15-13. Edmond’s fourth and final ace and match-high 17th kill helped Atlanta pull away again, 22-15. Timmer notched the match-winning kill for the Vibe, 25-19.
Notes
- Four Vibe players recorded double-digit kills: Edmond (17), Anna Dixon (14), Louis (12), and Taya Beller (10).
- Atlanta finished with a .253 hitting percentage, narrowly outperforming the Rise at .233.
- Raskie extended her double-double streak to seven consecutive matches, recording 33 assists and 10 digs. She’s now achieved this feat in eight of nine matches so far this season.
- Bastianelli had six of the Rise's 12 blocks, just one shy of tying the team record for most blocks in a single match, a record she shares with fellow middle blocker Marin Grote.
- For the third time this season, rookie libero Elena Oglivie led the Rise in digs, finishing with 17. PVF All-Star selections Carli Snyder (12) and Raskie (10) also ended in double figures.
GR 25 18 22 19 — 1
ATL 21 25 25 25 — 3
Team Leaders
GR: Kills — Erika Pritchard 15, Kaleigh Nelson 9, Carli Snyder 6; Assists — August Raskie 33, Camryn Turner 5, Nelson 2; Aces — Pritchard 1, Raskie 1, Paige Briggs-Romine 1; Blocks — Ali Bastianelli 6, Marin Grote 3; Digs — Elena Oglivie 17, Snyder 12, Raskie 10.
ATL: Kills — Leah Edmond 17, Anna Dixon 14, Khori Louis 12, Taya Beller 10; Assists — Marlie Monserez 52, Morgan Hentz 8; Aces — Edmond 4, Timmer 2; Blocks — Beller 1, Monserez 1, Louis 1, Dixon 1; Digs — Hentz 21, Monserez 20, Edmond 10.
A — 2,256
Record / Next Match
Grand Rapids: 4-5 / Sat., Feb. 15 at Orlando Valkyries, 7 p.m.
Atlanta: 5-5 / Sun., Feb. 16 vs. Indy Ignite, 6 p.m.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Rise