Grand Rapids Rise VS Orlando Valkyries | HIGHLIGHTS | PVF 2025
Apr 24, 2025
Grand Rapids Rise VS Orlando Valkyries | HIGHLIGHTS | PVF 2025. A standout second set for the Grand Rapids Rise couldn’t turn the tide Thursday night in Orlando, as the Valkyries came away with a four-set home win (25-18, 18-25, 25-18, 25-15) inside Addition Financial Arena.
The Rise responded well after dropping the opening frame, taking control in the second with clean execution and renewed energy. But Orlando regained its footing, hitting .257 on the night to secure the match and inch one step closer to a Pro Volleyball Federation playoff berth.
The Valkyries jumped out to an early 8-5 lead in the opening set, fueled by back-to-back aces from middle blocker Kaz Brown. The Rise struggled to contain Brown throughout the match, as she led all players with 20 points — finishing with 12 kills on 20 swings (.600), the previously mentioned two aces, and had a hand in half of Orlando’s 12 blocks.
And when it wasn’t Brown doing damage, it was Brittany Abercrombie. The outside hitter tallied six kills and eight digs to help Orlando claim the first set, 25-18. She finished with a match-high 17 kills (.245).
Grand Rapids flipped the script in the second set, matching the Valkyries' opening score with a 25-18 win of their own. The Rise hit an impressive .378 in the frame and recorded five blocks — two each from Ali Bastianelli and Alyssa Jensen, and another from Carli Snyder — to shift the momentum. After being held without a kill in the first set, Snyder bounced back with five kills on .417 hitting to spark the turnaround.
Reigning PVF Player of the Week Paige Briggs-Romine capped the second set with a set-winning kill. She went on to lead Grand Rapids with 13 kills (.250) and added 12 digs, recording her fifth straight double-double and eighth of the season.
Orlando tightened up defensively in the final two sets, recording nine blocks and limiting the Rise to just a .182 hitting percentage in a 25-18 third-set win. The Valkyries then held Grand Rapids to -.053 in the fourth, closing out the match with a 25-15 victory.
At practice on a non-jump day, which just blows my mind.
Yeah, Murphy was having, and I told her so, I just really feel for her having an outstanding year.
It's been a really big adjustment for Orlando, as you pointed out, before first serve.
How about Shampoo, the setter for Orlando Valkyries?
We've seen her get really aggressive, calling her own number.
Very sneaky and good at the skill.
You have to, as a blocker, really worry about who she's going to set.
And that leaves her open as an attacker.
Yeah, very, very experienced in her ninth professional season, as I mentioned.
Played in her native Thailand.
Nice swing by Robinson over the top.
But Shampoo has also played in Korea and in the J League as well in Japan.
Double sub unwound.
Holthaus will come back on along with Cameron Turner.
Will we wait for that to be undone?
It's got some point scoring opportunities.
She'll get plenty more.
That ball might have been going out of bounds.
Good bump set, Holthaus.
Nice chop down the line.
Good change of direction by 20 and blue.
Grand Rapids is doing a really nice job when the pass isn't great.
Somebody else who has a better angle of setting the ball puts it up there.
And there you see Eleanor Holthaus.
Beautiful crossbody turn down that line.
What a delivery that time by Shampoo.
That's what makes her a lead.
They're really happy, the Orlando Valkyries and their fans, to have her back in the lineup.
She's had a busy and very productive six months of professional volleyball.
She won Athletes Unlimited in the fall.
That's more of an individual competition.
That's a good set.
Snyder with a good read.
Kaz Brown.
And got it right on the sideline.
And it's hard away from Oaklevy.
Oaklevy was there.
Hard to beat her.
Kaz Brown, super offensive minded.
I think Helena Oaklevy just snuck in a little bit, possibly for a tip.
She steps into the court and then Kaz Brown catches her.
Shannon Scully on now.
She will play in reception.
Nalani Osia will play in defense when Orlando is serving.
Gotta have this Paige Bromine well off the net.
Van Der Weide away from Otek.
Defense.
Orlando's digging some balls with control.
Giving themselves opportunities to win the rally.
This time to Abercrombie.
I mean to Van Der Weide out of the back row.
Along with Lydia Grote.
Who we really like.
She's got a live arm.
Maybe she'll get a chance.
Eleanor Holthaus.
Big swing into the cross court.
When I watched Orlando today, when you and I were here at practice,
they knew that Eleanor Holthaus has the power in the ring.
And then they finish at Grand Rapids on the 30th.
Set point number three.
Back to Schwan.
And that's going to be a net violation.
No argument by Bastianelli or the Grand Rapids rise.
And so Orlando.
Foot fault.
Service line.
Three meter line.
Center line.
Oh, I saw number 22.
That is Cameron Turner.
Hand in the cookie jar.
Well, you might as well.
25 to 18.
Back with the second set.
Right after this on Roku Sports.
They've been able to strike and transition out of the middle.
And that's a high percentage kill for them.
Lydia Grode is stopped.
Pretty good high swing.
A little bit unlucky over the top of the coverage for 19 and wide.
They've won nine in a row.
Set a new record that has since been tied by Atlanta.
But they've lost five out of their last six and have undergone some big changes.
Lindsey Van Der Weide loves to take big rips on the ball for Orlando.
This is a really nice transition ball.
Shaftmaster pushes it out.
Nice acceleration by Lindsey Van Der Weide.
Dug by Yosia.
Working on Snyder.
Short.
Bastianelli.
Very nice connection out of the middle with Raskin.
And that's that middle attack in transition.
If Grand Rapids Ryski control their digs well enough, look for much more.
Good reception by Van Der Weide.
Lydia Grode is slowed.
Joust coming.
Snyder through the block.
Brilliant dig by Schwan.
Lindsey Van Der Weide.
Wow.
Just out of bounds.
What a swing.
There's that aggressive swing that Lindsey Van Der Weide can bring the Orlando team.
That one.
This is just wide.
She was looking up at the jumbotron and it was indeed just out of bounds.
But it's very, very difficult.
Got to play everybody four times.
But sometimes it doesn't matter when you get them.
Snyder off the block and out of bounds.
All the momentum right now in navy blue.
Grand Rapids Ryski really smooth in their transition offense.
And they have been able to get some stops.
Yeah, Carly Snyder's playing like an all-star in the second set.
Give you Grand Rapids remaining scheduled in just a moment.
That's off the block.
Nice play.
At Indy on Saturday.
At Omaha.
Home to Indy.
Snyder.
Number four in blue.
Carly Snyder has come alive in this match for the Grand Rapids Ryski.
And I really think that's been the difference in the second set.
Jenna Otek will come on briefly in the opening set.
Outstanding.
Libro.
Now back up to Oglebay.
Set point number one.
Dug by Turner.
Not a good set in transition.
Good cover by Snyder to keep the ball off the floor.
Paige.
Briggs.
Romine.
Why not?
The player of the week to close things out.
Very, very nice response by Grand Rapids after losing the opening set.
25-18.
They come back.
Working on Snyder again.
Paige Briggs again.
Playing with pace.
And back to the roll shot.
Very important on the beach.
Does it give Schwan an advantage?
The amount of time she spent on the beach?
I think so.
Hand contact on the ball gives you all those weapons.
Look at this fastball out to Briggs Romine.
She loves to run it fast.
Beating Orlando at that sharp angle.
Double sub back on with Rasky and Robinson.
Paz Brown doing some work that time.
What a good battle between she and Bastianelli.
It's so fun to watch great middles go to work both offensively and defensively.
Kathy George said last time they faced off that Grand Rapids was a little sloppy with
their block.
I think they've been pretty on point so far.
Bastianelli right back at you.
Snyder high up into the block but stuffed.
Shampoo along with Foster.
Shampoo made sure she was over the net quickly as a blocker and that's what you need to do.
Press your hands, be disciplined.
Natalie Foster gets a lot of that.
A lot of balls coming to Snyder in reception and then has to transition right to attack.
Oglebay very nice set in transition off the inside hand.
Alena Oglebay.
She's got a really nice platform, one of the best passes.
She's got big hands so passes well overhand.
She was a big asset for Orlando.
I agree.
That must have been a very difficult decision.
Nice play through the block by Abercrombie.
Abercrombie on the right side in transition goes inside.
14 of 39 hit 282.
And Bastianelli again but this one's dubbed.
But that set up Holthaus on the right side.
19 sets already to the middle of the net for Grand Rapids.
And here's another one for Allie Bastianelli.
Good set, really good set that time by Shampoo.
How many times does Brittany Abercrombie get taken against an open net?
We talk about accuracy, location.
Shampoo loves to push pace but the location of her set, I would call that a juicy one.
Well we are in the state known for sunshine and citrus.
Schwan back to serve.
Big lead here for Orlando in the third.
Paige Briggs, Romine.
Very nice delivery by Turner.
Playing with pace.
This is a short string set and we've seen it a few times tonight.
Sending out a message here?
No, I'm just saying remember I complimented her and she said these are my ballet slippers.
Schwan, nice shot that time by Turner to keep the hopes alive for Grand Rapids.
But it'll be the second set point and a big lead for the Valkyries.
Kaz Brown took him on a nice scoring run.
I need to hide in my house.
That hasn't happened in a long time.
Van De Weide, a good touch.
Tight now and tipped out of bounds.
Turner with a very good idea and trailing 24-18.
Why not give it a go?
But a very good response.
First it was Orlando and then Grand Rapids turned it around in Orlando.
13-10, must win situation for Grand Rapids trailing two sets to one.
Holthaus with a tough chance and Schwan fingertipping that ball to the floor.
Grand Rapids needs to do a better job in that situation.
Pushing this ball out wider, dive inside.
1-1, a team reaches 16.
Oh, what a block by Brown.
One on one.
Bastianelli has been so hot for Grand Rapids.
Kaz Brown knows they want to get her the ball.
Gets her feet there and does the work.
Watch Kaz Brown.
Big press, quick off the floor and celebrates with her team.
What a good play here.
Hitters one-on-one if you can.
The advantage always to the hitter.
Watch this one.
Rasky gets Paige Briggs rowing one-on-one.
But Champoux makes a fantastic defensive move with her dive block.
20-12 is the advantage.
Grand Rapids got to dig in right now.
Good reception.
Bastianelli, no.
Back to Briggs-Roma.
Missed opportunity for Orlando.
Carly Snyder on the pipe.
Donny Yosia and Champoux have almost run into each other about 15 times.
Both of them very aggressive in transition.
But you want Champoux taking that second ball.
PBF record with nine straight wins and then hit a speed bump.
It lost five out of six.
This one will feel very, very good.
Orlando's remaining schedule.
Home to Atlanta on Saturday.
That's a big one.
And the service winner here at, excuse me, the attack winner.
They have Columbus twice.
At Indianapolis, at Indy.
They have Grand Rapids again and then at Vegas.
I said that it was the last match.
It's a next to last match there at Vegas to close out the regular season.
Orlando looking to stack some wins as they build momentum towards the playoffs.
Van der Weyde, a one-on-one.
That's the set she likes inside.
The reason this play works is Champoux delays her delivery.
Holds the ball a little bit more.
She's already established Natalie Foster.
So Alyssa Jensen jumps with her.
That isolates Van der Weyde.
Match point number one.
Good blocking night for Orlando.
Schwan will just keep that ball in play with a big advantage.
First of nine potential match points.
Good cover by Champoux.
Abercrombie for the win.
Not yet.
Dug by Yosia.
Schwan looking for hands and gets the ball.
Not you thought it was over.
Champoux hustling.
Still alive.
Natalie Foster's laughing in the middle.
Crazy point.
And that'll do it.
Missed out of bounds.
What a final point.
Incredible.