ATLANTA – In a gritty four-set match, the San Diego Mojo fell to the Atlanta Vibe in four sets on Saturday, 26-28, 25-20, 25-21, 26-24, on Friday night at the Georgia State University Convocation Center. The Mojo (6-13) dropped their third-straight match, while the Vibe (13-8) have won seventh consecutive matches.
Rookie outside hitter Maya Tabron once again led the Mojo effort, scoring a match-high 22 points with 17 kills and a career-high five blocks that are tied for the ninth-most in franchise history.
Middle blocker Regan Pittman also scored in double figures, collecting 13 points courtesy of 10 kills and three blocks, while fellow middle blocker Ronika Stone scored 10 points with nine kills and one block.
All-Star libero Shara Venegas tallied a team-high 16 digs and added seven assists, and setter Sarah Sponcil registered her first career double-double with 39 assists and 13 digs.
A tightly contested first set saw neither squad able to build more than a two-point lead late into the frame, when the Vibe opened a three-point advantage, 19-16, to force a Mojo timeout. Atlanta kept rolling out of the break, pushing the lead to six, 23-17, before the San Diego defense and timely scoring brought the Mojo back into the set. A Vibe service error kicked off a six-point run to tie the match, keyed by three kills from Tabron and a kill and block by middle blocker Rainelle Jones. After trading the next six points, a Sponcil block put the Mojo ahead and a Stone block ended the set, 28-26. Tabron led the scoring effort with seven kills on .500 hitting, while Stone posted two of the Mojo’s five blocks and outside hitter Kendra Dahlke six digs.
The back-and-forth continued into set two, as neither side was able to build any momentum early. Atlanta found their groove in the middle of the set, taking a 10-8 lead for the first multipoint lead in the frame and pushing the advantage to 16-9 heading into the media timeout. Trailing 17-10, Tabron Tabron kill kicked off a three-point run for San Diego, but that would be as close as the Mojo would get as the Vibe closed out the set with a 25-20 win. Tabron once again had the hot hand for the Mojo in the frame, collecting six kills with .600 hitting while also recording a pair of blocks.
Sponcil opened set three with an ace, to which the Vibe responded and moved in front, gradually building to a 14-9 lead. San Diego once again battled back, slowly chipping away at the deficit, tying the score at 20-20 after a Pittman swing found a hole in the Atlanta defense. A four-point Atlanta run followed to key a late burst for the Vibe to put the set out of reach, with the hosts winning 25-21. Stone led the scoring effort for the Mojo with four kills on six swings for a .667 hitting percentage.
A lethargic start for the Mojo in the fourth set allowed the Vibe to jump to a 7-2 lead, pushing the advantage to 11-4. The Mojo rallied, scoring six of the next eight points to slice the Vibe lead to two, 13-11. Atlanta appeared to be in command from there, controlling the pace of play to reach set point 24-17 when the Mojo came storming back with a seven-point run to tie the match. The rally ended there, as a Mojo service error was followed by a long rally that resulted in a Vibe point to wrap up the set, 26-24, and give the match to the hosts.
Next up, the Mojo will close out their two-match road trip on Sunday, March 30 against the Vegas Thrill. First serve from inside Lee Family Forum in Henderson, Nev. is set for 7 p.m. PT and the game will air live on FS2 with Paul Sunderland and Holly McPeak on the call. The Mojo will be hosting a watch party at Novo Brazil Mission Valley, and every fan in attendance will be entered to win a ticket to the Mojo home game on Tuesday, April 8 against Atlanta.
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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