GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, January 29, 2026. – The Orlando Valkyries, reigning 2025 Major League Volleyball champions, completed their first sweep of the season with a hard-fought win in Grand Rapids with set scores of 25-23, 27-25, 31-29.
Orlando’s offense was firing on all cylinders, posting a season-high .358 team hitting efficiency in one of the most offensive-heavy matches of the year. The Valkyries also rewrote the league record book in the process, setting new Major League Volleyball records with 68 points, 58 kills, and 57 assists in a three-set match.
Brittany Abercrombie led the way with a dominant performance, finishing with 22 kills on a season best .465 hitting efficiency. Her production paced an Orlando attack that proved difficult to slow down all night.
The opening set established the tone for what would become an offensive shootout. Both teams came out swinging, with Orlando hitting .375 and Grand Rapids narrowly edging them at .378. Abercrombie sparked the Valkyries early on with seven kills on 11 swings, while Charitie Luper added three kills on nine swings. For the Rise, reigning MLV Player of the Week Paige Briggs-Romine continued her hot streak, recording five kills on a .625 clip in the first set. Orlando ultimately closed the frame 25-23 behind late execution from Courtney Schwan and Brittany Abercrombie.
Grand Rapids found more rhythm in the second set, particularly through outside hitter Carli Snyder, who bounced back after a quiet first set to tally seven kills on .389 efficiency. Despite the Rise’s offensive push, Orlando’s offensive balance, led by Chompoo Guedpard, proved to be the difference. Orlando finished the set with three players over four kills, preventing Grand Rapids from settling defensively and limiting them to just five total blocks in the match. Orlando edged out another tight finish, 27-25, to take a 2-0 lead.
Facing elimination, Grand Rapids refused to go quietly in the third. Riding Snyder’s momentum, the Rise surged ahead 21-19 late. A back-and-forth battle followed with neither team able to create separation as the score was tied 29-29. In the end, it was Natalie Foster who delivered the final blow, sealing the set 31-29 and completing the sweep for Orlando.
Orlando set three new league records as a team: Most points (68), most kills (58) and most assists (57) in a three-set match.
Brittany Abercrombie finished two kills shy of tying the league record of most kills in a three-set match with 24, set by herself back on 2.27.25 at Omaha.
Chompoo Guedpard finished two assists shy of tying the league record of most assists in a three-set match with 46, set by Marlie Monserez during her time with Atlanta against Omaha on 4.19.25.
Orlando out-blocked Grand Rapids 8-5.
Next Match: Orlando Valkyries (4-2) at Columbus Fury (2-4) | Saturday, January 31, 7:00 p.m. ET | Nationwide Arena | MLV YouTube.
English 
Spanish