Columbus Fury grinds out first win of 2025 season over Grand Rapids

By Annie Walker

 

2 7 2025

 

Izabella Rapacz

 

The Columbus Fury (1-7) clinched their first win of the 2025 regular season defeating the Grand Rapids Rise (4-5) 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 15-8) on Friday evening. Izabella Rapacz finished the night with a .364 hitting percentage, 24 points, 23 kills, and 14 digs. Janice Leao led the team in blocks with a franchise-tying five total and ranked first for the team’s hitting percentage sitting at .500 for the night.

SET ONE

Columbus and Grand Rapids opened the match evenly before the visitors opened a 5-3 lead. The Rise pushed the lead to 8-4 before a successful block touch challenge, a Megan Lush ace and a Kaylee Cox kill allowed the Fury to tie things up at 7-7. The visitors scored six straight points after that for a 13-7 advantage. The Rise opened their biggest lead of the set at 17-9. The Fury rallied towards the end of the set scoring six straight points of their own to cut the lead to 24-21. Columbus failed to wrap up the comeback and lost the opening set 25-21.

SET TWO

The Fury started the second set with a better groove moving into a 5-2 lead. The home side faced some long rallies but keep the fight alive making it 9-4. The Fury pushed the lead to 14-6 and had the biggest lead of the set at 17-7. The Rise pushed back but couldn’t touch the Fury, who win their first set since January 26th.

SET THREE

Columbus and Grand Rapids traded points at 5-5 before the Rise hit three straight to take a 7-5 lead. The Rise maintained a two-point advantage for much of the set before a block from Leao tied things up at 12-12. The teams continued to go back and forth before Grand Rapids had a 24-20 lead. The Fury dug deep and finished the set with seven straight points to earn the comeback victory at 26-24 and took a 2-1 game lead.

Janice Leao

 

SET FOUR

The fourth set was another back-and-forth affair before the Fury took an 8-5 lead. The Rise fought back to tie things at 9-9 and eventually took a 13-10 advantage. The Rise ran away with much of the set leading at 22-14 before a five point run saw the Fury cut the lead to 21-23. The Rise managed to fend off the comeback attempt however to win the set at 25-22 and force a fifth set.

SET FIVE

Both sides remained deadlocked through the first 16 points of the set with things tied at 8-8. The Fury, feeding off the crowd scored seven straight points to end the match and earn the first victory of the 2025 season.

UP NEXT

The Columbus Fury continue their homestand as they welcome the Orlando Valkyries [4-4] on Wednesday, February 12 at 7 p.m. ET.

For tickets please call 614-380-FURY(3879) or visit columbusfury.com

For the latest on the Columbus Fury, follow the Fury on FacebookInstagram, and on X @ColumbusFury or visit at columbusfury.com

 

COURTESY COLUMBUS FURY COMMUNICATIONS

 

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