By Annie Walker

April 28, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Grand Rapids Rise entered their final regular-season away match with aspirations of securing a fourth consecutive victory against their regional rival. The Columbus Fury, however, thwarted the potential sweep of the season series with a sweep of their own Sunday afternoon inside Nationwide Arena by set scores of 25-21, 25-15, 25-15.

Columbus hit a staggering .409 hitting percentage — most by an opponent against Grand Rapids this season — and held the Rise to a season-low .130 attack percentage.

The Rise started slow, coming off a five-set loss at the Omaha Supernovas on Friday night, and struggled to play catch up throughout the match. Grand Rapids showed the most fight in the opening frame after going down 15-6. The Rise got back within a point twice at 20-18 and 21-19, but the Fury prevailed with a 4-2 run to close out the set 25-21.

Kendall Kipp had seven of her match-high 16 kills in the first set. Erika Pritchard paced the Rise with four kills as setter Mac Podraza made her first professional start. Podraza made the starting rotation after tossing up a personal-best 33 assists in the loss at Omaha. Unable to get the same kind of offensive production on Sunday, Ashley Evans took over setting the offense in the second set.

Columbus continued to string together large runs with the home crowd behind them. The Rise trailed 5-0, then 9-1 and 12-2 early into the second set. The 10-point deficit stuck through match point, 25-15. The Fury had 15 kills and two attack errors on 29 swings (.448) in the middle stanza. Kaitlyn Hord also put up three blocks. Columbus out blocked Grand Rapids 7-1 through the first two sets, and 8-2 for the duration of the match.

Kipp (16 kills, .364), Reagan Cooper (12, .478), and Megan Courtney Lush (11, .421) powered a Fury offense that Grand Rapids couldn’t defend.

The third set looked eerily like the previous frame with Columbus jumping out to a 7-2 lead. Kipp’s third block had the Fury up 15-10 at the media timeout. The Rise scored five more points before Columbus completed the sweep with a second 25-15 set win.

Pritchard was the only Rise player to reach double-digits in kills (12, .226). Shannon Scully had the lone ace for Grand Rapids, while the team also committed nine service errors. Rise outside hitter Claire Chaussee was limited to a season low in kills and points (6). Libero Camila Gómez led the team with 10 digs for her seventh match in double figures.

Notes

• The Rise finish the regular season with a 5-7 away record after taking road wins in Vegas (two), Columbus, Atlanta, and Orlando.
• Rise opposite hitter Emiliya Dimitrova, who leads the League with 4.36 kills per set, missed her second straight match with an ankle injury suffered on April 18 against Orlando.
• For the first time this season, Rise middle blocker Marin Grote failed to record a block and snapped a streak of getting at least one block in 20 straight matches.
• With the away setback, the road to the Pro Volleyball Federation playoffs for Grand Rapids gets a little bumpier. The Rise still control their own destiny with three home matches remaining, but another slip up could open the door for opposing teams to swoop in. Three straight wins would clinch a playoff spot, and two wins would be enough if Columbus doesn’t win out and San Diego doesn’t finish 5-1 down the stretch. Grand Rapids will have to rely on other teams losing if they only pick up one more win or no wins in the next two weeks.

Box Score

GR         21          15          15 — 0

CLB       25          25          25 — 3

Team Leaders

GR: Kills — Erika Pritchard 12, Claire Chaussee 6, Morgahn Fingall 5; Assists — Ashley Evans 21, Mac Podraza 8, Camila Gómez 3; Aces — Shannon Scully 1; Blocks — Alyssa Jensen 1, Ashley Evans 1; Digs — Gómez 10, Evans 6, Pritchard 4, Podraza 4.

CLB: Kills — Kendall Kipp 16, Reagan Cooper 12, Megan Courtney Lush 11; Assists — Ray Santos 40, Valeria Leon 2; Aces — Ivania Ortiz DeJesus 1; Blocks — Kipp 3, Kaitlyn Hord 3, Rainelle Jones 2; Digs — Santos 12, Leon 11, Courtney Lush 10.

Record / Next Match

Grand Rapids: 10-11 / Sat., May 4 vs. San Diego Mojo, 5 p.m.

Columbus: 8-11 / Thu., May 2 at Atlanta Vibe, 7 p.m.

COURTESY GRAND RAPIDS RISE COMMUNICATIONS