Orlando Valkyries middle blocker Kaz Brown (11) attacks Saturday at Georgia State Convocation Center against the Atlanta Vibe.
Courtesy of Orlando Valkyries
The Orlando Valkyries earned a key 3-1 road victory over the Atlanta Vibe on Saturday night at Georgia State Convocation Center, strengthening their position in the Major League Volleyball playoff race.
Orlando welcomed back opposite hitter Brittany Abercrombie after missing six weeks with a foot injury. The Valkyries also saw an impact from the recent signing of opposite hitter Zoe Weatherington, who made her debut after joining the team on March 24. However, it took time for those changes to settle in.
Atlanta took the opening set 25-23 despite being outhit .200 to .150, as Orlando struggled with six service errors and relied on softer attacks that the Vibe handled effectively.
Vibe outside hitter Leah Edmond hit .400 on 10 attempts, while opposite hitter Aiko Jones finished with 14 attempts, hitting .214, to lead the early offensive push.
The Valkyries responded in the second set by increasing their pace and offensive precision. Weatherington made an impact late, hitting .800 on five attempts, as Orlando pulled away for a 25-16 win.
A double substitution helped stabilize the rotation, while consistent serve receive allowed the Valkyries to stay in system and involve their middles more effectively.
That momentum carried into the third set, where Orlando led throughout in a 25-17 win behind a .324 hitting percentage. Abercrombie showed signs of returning to form, hitting .700 on 10 attempts, while the defense continued to disrupt Atlanta’s rhythm.
In the fourth set, the Vibe pushed to respond after dropping the previous two, keeping it close behind improved play from Edmond and Jones, who hit .273 and .250 on 11 and 14 attempts, respectively.
At 24-22, outside hitter Charitie Luper briefly exited after taking a ball to the face, but returned moments later as middle blocker Kaz Brown sealed the match with a block. Orlando hit .372 in the set, closing out the four-set win 25-22.
Middle blocker Natalie Foster delivered an outstanding all-around performance, hitting .545 on 22 attempts while adding five blocks and four service aces.
Luper carried the offensive load with 52 attempts at .308, while Abercrombie finished with 38 attempts at .289 in her return, as Orlando totaled 13 blocks to Atlanta’s eight.
With the win, the Valkyries moved into fourth place in the league (10-11), passing the San Diego Mojo (9-10) and strengthening their playoff position.
The Valkyries will continue their road trip next Saturday against the San Diego Mojo at Viejas Arena at 9 p.m.