GRAND RAPIDS RISE 2 vs. Columbus Fury 3
Feb. 20, 2025
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Rise and Columbus Fury played a five-set match for the third time this season Thursday night at Van Andel Arena. For a second time, the Fury came out on top, winning the marathon match by set scores of 16-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-13.
Grand Rapids opened the contest with a dominant 9-0 run — the best start to a match in franchise history. The run also tied the team's record for most consecutive points, matching a 9-0 stretch from April 18, 2024, against the Orlando Valkyries.
The explosive outburst featured three aces from Rise All-Star outside hitter Carli Snyder. Rookie middle blocker Raven Colvin and outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine also made their first starts of the season, with Colvin earning her first professional start.
Grand Rapids built its largest lead of the set at 12-1, but Columbus clawed back, narrowing the gap to seven points at 15-8, 16-9, and 22-15. However, Erika Pritchard sealed the frame with a cross-court kill, closing out the set 25-16. Pritchard had a team-high six kills in the first set, helping the Rise hit .303 collectively as team. The Fury was held to a .133 attack percentage.
Back-to-back blocks from Ali Bastianelli and Colvin gave the Rise a 15-9 lead in the second set before Columbus mounted its comeback. The Fury rallied to tie the score at 22-22, then reached set point at 25-24 with an ace from Jill Gillen, who had just come off the bench. Columbus eventually closed out the extended set 27-25, capitalizing on a Rise service error and a block from Kaley Rammelsberg. The Rise dropped to 2-8 in sets decided by two points this season.
Bastianelli opened the third set with her third block, as the ball rolled along the top of the net before dropping onto the Fury’s side of the court. Leading 16-15, the Rise head coach Cathy George made a setter change, bringing in Camryn Turner. The rookie out of Kansas dished out six assists and added a dump kill get Grand Rapids to the finish line, 25-22. Snyder unloaded a powerful kill into the center of the floor on set point to give the Rise a 2-1 lead.
Columbus lost its lone All-Star Megan Lush near the end of the third set with an ankle injury.
Turner picked up an impressive solo block to even the fourth set at 7-7. It was only her second block of the season. But Columbus pulled away with a lethal .360 hitting percentage in the must-win frame. The Rise managed to fend off three set points before Raina Terry notched a block to win the set 25-22 for the Fury and forced a winner-take-all fifth frame.
Grand Rapids scored the first three points of the fifth set with an opening Fury service error, Snyder’s franchise record-breaking fourth ace of the match, and an 11th kill from Briggs-Romine. Columbus answered by scoring the next four points before Briggs-Romine popped up with another kill. She finished with a season-high 13 kills (.238) to match her jersey number.
Trailing 8-5, Rise middle blocker Marin Grote saw her first action of the contest, keeping her impressive streak alive of playing in every single Rise match. Grand Rapids used another 3-0 run to tie the score at 8-8. It remained deadlocked at 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, and 13-13. Columbus scored the final two points of the match off a Terry kill and an overturn block touch video review. With the result, the Fury earned the team’s first-ever win in Grand Rapids.
Notes
- Colvin finished with season-high in points (15), kills (11), blocks (3), and digs (2).
- The Rise recorded seven aces, matching the franchise record set in the season opener against the Vegas Thrill on Jan. 10. Snyder led the charge with four aces, setting a new Rise record for most in a single match. Pritchard, Colvin, and Briggs-Romine also contributed aces.
- Pritchard matched her season-high with a match-high 21 kills (.286).
- Three Fury players finished with double figures in kills: Kaylee Cox (13), Rapacz (11), and Rammelsberg (10). Columbus setter Wilma Rivera notched a double-double with 32 assists and 17 digs.
- Grand Rapids narrowly outblocked Columbus, 12-11. Bastianelli racked up four blocks, giving her two or more blocks over the last nine matches.
- Rise All-Stars Snyder, Grote, and Raskie will play in the first-ever PVF All-Star match on Saturday, Feb. 22, in Indianapolis. The match will be televised on CBS starting at 1:30 p.m.
GR 25 25 25 22 13 — 2
CLB 16 27 22 25 15 — 3
Team Leaders
GR: Kills — Erika Pritchard 21, Paige Briggs-Romine 13, Raven Colvin 11; Assists — August Raskie 35, Camryn Turner 15, Elena Oglivie 4; Aces — Carli Snyder 4, Pritchard 1, Colvin 1, Briggs-Romine 1; Blocks — Ali Bastianelli 4, Colvin 3, Briggs-Romine 2; Digs — Elena Oglivie 16, Raskie 9, Briggs-Romine 9.
CLB: Kills — Kaylee Cox 13, Izabella Rapacz 11, Kaley Rammelsberg 10; Assists — Wilma Rivera 32, Tori Stringer 9, Mary Kate Georgiades 8; Aces — Wilma Rivera 3, Rammelsberg 2, Jill Gillen 1; Blocks — Rivera 3, Rapacz 2, Raina Terry 2, Abby Walker 2; Digs — Rivera 17, Cox 17, Georgiades 12.
A — 2,181
Record / Next Match
Grand Rapids: 4-7 / Thu., Feb. 27 at San Diego Mojo, 10 p.m. EST
Columbus: 3-8 / Sun., Feb. 23 vs. Atlanta Vibe, 2 p.m.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Rise