By Liam Farrell
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Mojo lost in four sets to the Grand Rapids Rise, 25-17, 28-30, 25-15, 25-18, on Sunday at Viejas Arena. The loss snapped a two-game winning home winning streak for the Mojo (5-10), while the Rise (7-8) earned their second consecutive win over San Diego and third-straight overall.
Outside hitter Elise McGhee led the scoring for the Mojo, totaling 15 points on 15 kills, while outside hitter Kendra Dahlke added 11 points with nine kills and two blocks and added 14 digs.
All-Star middle blocker Ronika Stone continued her high caliber play, adding another double-digit point contributor for the Mojo with 11 points, courtesy of seven kills, three blocks, and an ace.
Setter DaYeong Lee came off the bench in the second set and provided immediate production for the Mojo, registering 28 assists while adding three blocks, and libero Shara Venegas led San Diego with 15 digs.
The Mojo got off to a hot start and capitalized on Rise mistakes to jump out to a 5-2 lead. However, Grand Rapids responded by rattling off six straight points to force head coach Tayyiba Haneef-Park to call her first timeout of the set. After expanding on their lead, the Rise never looked back in set one, thanks in part to another four-point streak near the end of the set. The Grand Rapids offense was simply too much for San Diego as the Rise outhit the Mojo .385 to -.065 to race to a 25-17 victory.
In set two, San Diego once again jumped out to an early lead, starting on a 6-1 run and extended their lead to 10-4 before the Rise came thundering back into the set. A four-point run by Grand Rapids cut the lead to a single point, before the Mojo got a little bit of breathing room before the media timeout. Middle blocker Regan Pittman, Stone and Dahlke powered San Diego in the second set, totaling five points each. Down the stretch, the Rise tied the game at 17-17 and jumped out to their first lead of the set on the 37th point, 19-18. The Rise lengthened their lead to 22-19, before the Mojo came roaring back to tie the game at 22-22. Both teams exchanged nine straight points, that pushed the set to 27-26 in favor of San Diego before the Rise called a timeout. Grand Rapids continued to fight off the Mojo at every turn, as the teams continued to go back-and-forth for the next four points, which netted the Mojo a 29-28 lead. With the set in the balance, a Dahlke kill put an emphatic end to a hectic frame, as San Diego claimed a 30-28 win.
On the scoreboard, the third set was tight, but the Rise had complete control in its entirety. Grand Rapids was in front from the get-go and never looked back. The Mojo had no answer for outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine, who tallied seven third set points and anchored the Rise’s attack. The Mojo showed a little fight but inevitably fell 25-15 in the third.
The fourth set played out similarly to the previous one, with the Mojo playing catch-up for the length of the set. Grand Rapids controlled the lead from the very start of the set, and San Diego simply could not crack the deficit. The Mojo kept it close for the length of the set and even cut the lead to two points immediately following the media timeout, but in the end, the Rise had all the answers. The Rise cemented their victory with a 25-18 fourth set.
Next up, San Diego looks to get back on track this Thursday, March 9 as they travel to Addition Financial Arena to face the Orlando Valkyries. First serve is at 4:00 p.m. PT and the game will broadcast live on the Roku Channel.
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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