The Atlanta Vibe (12-4) are on another hot streak after taking down the Grand Rapids Rise (6-7) in four sets on the road on Monday night, the team’s third-straight win.
The victory means that Atlanta has at least one win over every other team in the Pro Volleyball Federation this season, bouncing back on the road against the only team to have beaten them multiple times in their third meeting with Grand Rapids.
The first set was kept tight with both teams battling back and forth, but a consistent attack from Leah Edmond (.750 hitting percentage with nine kills) and only one hitting error across the team helped the Vibe come out on top after one.
An early 10-0 run from Atlanta in the second set helped the Vibe pull out one of the most uneven sets seen in the league this season, as they won by 15 points to go up 2-0 in the match. Grand Rapids didn’t put up a single block in the set and finished with more hitting errors and blocked hits than kills, while Vibe opposite Anna Lazareva started hitting her stride, finishing with seven kills at a .500 clip.
Atlanta kept rolling through the beginning of the third set, but an improved Rise offense helped Grand Rapids hold the edge throughout the set, finishing with a set win to hold off a sweep on their home court. The Rise kept it up through the fourth set, but a series of errors kept Atlanta in it and helped the Vibe close out the match.
Vibe setter Marlie Monserez dished out 45 assists in the match, bringing her average for the week up to 11.4 to help the team to three-straight wins. Edmond’s 21 kills marked her fifth 20-kill match of the season, and Lazareva’s 20 points brought her to her fourth 20-point match of the year.
The Vibe have a week until their next road trip, where they will face the Vegas Thrill and the San Diego Mojo before returning home to host the Omaha Supernovas on Saturday, April 13. Tickets for that match and all remaining matches in the Atlanta Vibe’s inaugural season are available on AtlantaVibe.com.
Notes
Atlanta’s record improves to 12-4, helping them hold on to first place in the Pro Volleyball Federation standings.
Atlanta’s record against Grand Rapids improves to 1-2 this season.
The Vibe claimed the largest margin of victory in a set with a 15-point victory over the Rise in the second set of Monday night’s match.
The fewest points Grand Rapids had scored in a single set prior to Monday evening was 16, and the fewest a Vibe opponent had scored prior to the match was 15.
Setter Marlie Monserez tallied 40+ assists for the fifth time in the Vibe’s last six matches, and for the seventh time this season.
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