GRAND RAPIDS RISE 3 at Vegas Thrill 0
March 2, 2025
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Grand Rapids Rise came into Sunday’s match against the Vegas Thrill as Pro Volleyball Federation’s top blocking team, averaging 2.71 blocks per set. The Rise backed up that status in style, racking up 18 blocks in a commanding 3-0 road sweep. That total tied the franchise record and set a new PVF mark for the most blocks in a three-set match.
The Rise snapped a five-match losing streak in the process, winning by set scores of 25-18, 25-17, 25-23. The Thrill suffered their fourth straight defeat, and only second loss at home this season. Grand Rapids also averaged its season-opening reverse sweep loss to Vegas on Jan. 10.
Rise outside hitter Erika Pritchard, playing out of position as the team’s opposite hitter, led all scorers with 16 points (14 kills on .267 hitting percentage and two blocks).
With the opening set tied at 14-14, the Rise seized control by tying their franchise record with nine consecutive points. The outburst included four kills and a block from outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine, who also notched the only Rise ace early into the match. Middle blocker Ali Bastianelli added a kill and a block during the 9-0 run, while Pritchard contributed one of her six first-set kills. Carli Snyder’s first kill of the match closed out the first set, 25-18.
The Rise held the Thrill to a .000 hitting percentage in the opening frame, putting up five blocks and collecting 23 digs.
Grand Rapids kept the momentum going by jumping out to a 5-1 lead to start the second set. Snyder chipped in with two more kills, along with a set-opening kill from middle blocker Alyssa Jensen, and a block from Pritchard. A Vegas overpass on a Pritchard serve set up an easy kill for setter August Raskie, extending the Rise’s lead to 11-3. The advantage extended to 10 points at 15-5 on Pritchard’s ninth kill of the match.
Vegas applied some pressure, closing the gap to 20-16 and 21-17, but Grand Rapids responded with a decisive finish, scoring the final four points to secure the second set. Pritchard and setter Camryn Turner each delivered key kills before Bastianelli sealed the middle frame at 25-17 with back-to-back blocks. Bastianelli, who entered the match with 34 blocks — the second-most in the league — racked up five of the Rise’s 13 blocks through the first two sets.
The third and final set went down to the wire. Tied at 22-22, the Rise got a crucial fifth kill from Jensen, who also had a season-high five blocks in the match. After the teams traded points, Pritchard delivered her 15th kill to seal the 25-23 set win and third Rise sweep this season.
Notes
- The match lasted just 88 minutes, marking the fastest victory in Rise history.
- Briggs-Romine got her first double-double this season, finishing with 10 kills and 10 digs. She was one of four Rise players to reach double figures in points, alongside Pritchard (16), Snyder (10), and Jensen (10).
- Bastianelli tallied six blocks, only one away from tying her season-high and the Rise team record.
- Rise libero Elena Oglivie had a match-high 17 digs, just one shy of tying the Rise franchise record for most digs in a three-set match.
- Grand Rapids posted a .257 hitting percentage, while the Rise defense held the Thrill to just .085 — the lowest hitting percentage allowed by the Rise this season.
- Lauren Jardine was the only Vegas player to reach double-digit points. She had a team-high eight kills (.353) and three blocks in the defeat.
GR 25 25 25 — 3
VG 18 17 23 — 0
Team Leaders
GR: Kills — Erika Pritchard 14, Paige Briggs-Romine 10, Carli Snyder 8; Assists — August Raskie 27, Camryn Turner 9, Elena Oglivie 2; Aces — Briggs-Romine 1; Blocks — Ali Bastianelli 6, Alyssa Jensen 5, Snyder 2, Pritchard 2, Briggs-Romine 2; Digs — Oglivie 17, Briggs-Romine 10, Raskie 8.
VG: Kills — Lauren Jardine 8, Hannah Maddux 7, Allison Mayfield 4; Assists — Carly Graham 19, Alisha Glass Childress 12; Aces — Morgan Stout 1; Blocks — Jardine 3, Mayfield 2; Digs — Mary Shroll 10, Graham 7, Glass Childress 6.
A — 1,741
Record / Next Match
Grand Rapids: 5-8 / Wed., March 5 vs. San Diego Mojo, 7 p.m.
Vegas: 7-6 / Wed., March 5 vs. Indy Ignite, 7 p.m. PST
Photo by M. Domingo/Vegas Thrill