Tag: Volleyball

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, November 15, 2024.- The Mets de Guaynabo took control of their semifinal series against Cafeteros de Yauco with a 3-2 lead, positioning themselves just one victory away from the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) finals after defeating them 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13) at the Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum. 

Following the win, Mets libero Arnel Cabrera said: “As I’ve said before, I believe we’re playing this series against ourselves. Yauco has shown an incredible level of play, but whenever we manage to focus on our strengths and control our emotions a bit, we execute very well. It’s been challenging because we’re such a complete team; everyone wants to give their best, which sometimes works against us. We make mistakes at critical moments, and Yauco, credit where it’s due, has executed extremely well and given us an incredible series.”

This semifinal has seen the home team prevail in every game. Addressing this trend, Cabrera added: “Of course, going to Yauco requires responsibility and a clear mindset. It’s an emotional venue, with a passionate crowd, and we know they play very well at home and defend their court effectively. On our end, I’d say we’ve had some erratic games at times in Yauco, which has shaken our confidence a bit when playing away. But we have a day to clear our minds and head there as focused as possible.”

The Mets outperformed Cafeteros 50-36 in attacks, 11-9 in blocks, 51-39 in digs, and 9-4 in aces, while Yauco held the edge in receptions (52-44) and assists (25-20). 

The winners’ offense was led by Inovel Romero with 20 points, Gregory Torres with 18, and Gianluca Grasso with 11. For Yauco, Diego Negrón contributed 16 points, and Mark Frazier added 10 in the losing effort. 

The series returns to the Pipote Oliveras Coliseum in Yauco for Game 6 on Monday, November 18, at 8:00 PM. 

The winner of this series will face the defending champions, Caribes de San Sebastián, who became the first finalists after sweeping the runners-up, Changos de Naranjito, in four matches. 

The semifinal series are played in a best-of-seven format. The KIA Cup Grand Final begins two days after the last semifinal concludes. 

SEMIFINAL SERIES  A

Game #1 – Wednesday, November 6 – 8:00 PM, Yauco ag Guaynabo / 2-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11) 

Game #2 – Friday, November 8 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco / 2-3 (28-30, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-13) 

Game #3 – Sunday, November 10 – 5:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo / 0-3 (25-22, 25-15, 25-23) 

Game #4 – Wednesday, November 13 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco / 2-3 (18-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 15-8) 

Game #5 – Friday, November 15 – 8:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo / 1-3 (25-20, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13) 

Game #6 (if necessary) – Monday, November 18 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco 

Game #7 (if necessary) – Thursday, November 21 – 8:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo 

NARANJITO, Puerto Rico, November 14, 2024. – The reigning champions of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM), the Caribes de San Sebastián, completed a sweep of the runner-up Changos de Naranjito in Semifinal B on Thursday, November 14, winning the series in four matches. 

The Caribes dropped only two sets throughout the series and eliminated the Changos with nine straight set wins, sealing their victory at the legendary Gelito Ortega court in this municipality. 

Dr. Angelo Ferrante Cruz, owner of the Caribes, shared after the win: “I’m very happy. I thought it would be tougher. The Changos are a great team and a strong opponent, but the Caribes have been inspired and focused. There’s no doubt we’re aiming for that back-to-back championship, and with God’s favor, we’re just four games away from achieving it.” 

Regarding the other semifinal between the Mets de Guaynabo and the Cafeteros de Yauco, which is guaranteed to reach at least six games and considering that the final series would begin just two days after the conclusion of that series, Dr. Ferrante added: “Well, there’s not much time to rest. Tomorrow, Friday (today), we’ll rest, but by Saturday, we’ll be back on the court practicing and preparing for both potential opponents. That series seems to be going long, and we need to be ready for either contender to ultimately win the championship as we aspire to.” 

“We encourage the fans of San Sebastián and the fans of the other team that advances to the final to support us, to support volleyball. We rely on that support, on that ‘seventh player’ in the stands. Without a doubt, all of Puerto Rico knows that San Sebastián has the best volleyball fans, thanks to God,” concluded Ferrante Cruz. 

The scores in San Sebastián’s victory were 25-21, 27-25, and 25-21. 

The Caribes outperformed Changos 44-34 in attacks, 9-5 in blocks, 6-1 in aces, and 26-25 in digs. Both teams tallied 37 receptions each, while the home team led in assists 22-17. 

Caribes’ offensive leaders in double digits included their import Jalen Penrose with 22 points, all from attacks, followed by Pelegrín Vargas with 16 points and Pedro Nieves with 7. 

For the Changos de Naranjito, Félix Chapman scored 10 points, Ángel Rivera had 9, and Adrián Iglesias contributed 7. 

SEMIFINAL B SERIES

GAME #1 – Thursday, November 7 – 8:00 PM

Naranjito at San Sebastián – 2-3 (25-20, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25, 15-12). 

GAME #2 – Saturday, November 9 – 8:00 PM

San Sebastián at Naranjito – 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 27-25). 

GAME #3 – Tuesday, November 12 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián – 0-3 (25-23, 25-20, 25-21). 

GAME #4 – Thursday, November 14 – 8:00 PM

San Sebastián at Naranjito – 3-0 (25-21, 27-25, 25-21). 

YAUCO, Puerto Rico, November 13, 2024.- Playing at home in the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras Coliseum, Yauco Cafeteros rallied to secure a win in a decisive fifth set, defeating the Guaynabo Mets to even the series at two wins apiece.

The Mets, who had previously swept Yauco 3-0, stumbled with 12 service errors and 19 attack errors, crucial factors that ultimately influenced the outcome.

The Cafeteros took the win 3-2 (18-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 15-8).

With the match tied at two sets each, Cafeteros opened the fifth set with a 5-1 lead thanks to a block by Mark Frazier, a lead they would not hand over. Eddie Rivera then extended the advantage with an ace, pushing the score to 12-7. This set the stage for Diego Negrón, who scored three consecutive points, one from the left wing and two from the opposite corner, to seal the victory at 15-8.

Yauco outperformed Guaynabo 63 to 62 in attacks, 53 to 42 in digs, and 70 to 61 in receptions, though Guaynabo led 14 to 5 in blocks and 21 to 20 in assists.

The Cafeteros’ double-digit scorers were Diego Negrón with 21 points, Eddie Rivera with 17, and both Mark Frazier and Jessie Colón with 11 each.

For the Mets, Gianluca Grasso led with 24 points, followed by Inovel Romero with 15, and Hisham Yousri with 11.

Yauco’s two wins came in five-set matches, while Guaynabo’s wins were one in straight sets and the other in five.

This competitive series guarantees at least a sixth game, meaning that at least six of the potential seven games will be played.

The series resumes on Friday, November 15, at Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo and returns to Pipote Oliveras on Monday, November 18. Both games are scheduled for 8:00 PM.

The other semifinal between San Sebastián Caribes (3-0) and Naranjito Changos will take place on Thursday, November 14, at 8:00 PM at the legendary Gelito Ortega court.

The semifinals are best-of-7 series, and the KIA Cup Grand Final will begin two days after the last semifinal concludes.

SEMIFINAL A SERIES

GAME #1 – Wednesday, November 6 – 8:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo / 2-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11) 

GAME #2 – Friday, November 8 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco / 2-3 (28-30, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-13) 

GAME #3 – Sunday, November 10 – 5:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo / 0-3 (25-22, 25-15, 25-23) 

GAME #4 – Wednesday, November 13 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco / 2-3 (18-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 15-8) 

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 15 – 8:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo 

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Monday, November 18 – 8:00 PM, Guaynabo at Yauco 

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Thursday, November 21 – 8:00 PM, Yauco at Guaynabo

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, November 10, 2024.- The Mets de Guaynabo defended their home court at Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum to take control of Semifinal A in the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico, leading the series 2-1 over Cafeteros de Yauco.

The previous two games went to overtime, but this time was the opposite: the home team has won all three matches.

After the victory, outside hitter Gianluca Grasso of the Mets said, “We served better, defended a little better on the court, and played with a bit more heart and awareness. You know, we used our blocking and coverage effectively, and thanks to all the hard work we’ve put in these last two weeks, we finally came out with a three-set win.”

Grasso, recognized as “Comeback Player of the Year” in this season’s awards, emphasized that the key to advancing to the final series is sticking to their established plan. He added, “We need to keep doing what we did today, focusing on our serves, keeping the pressure on, and playing our game. I think in the last two games, we lost sight of the game plan a little, which made things difficult, but now we know what we need to do to carry today’s approach into the next two games.”

The scores in favor of the Mets were 25-22, 25-15, and 25-23.

Guaynabo outperformed Yauco with a 49-35 advantage in attacks, 41-24 in digs, and 37-36 in passes. Both teams tied in blocks with five each and in service aces.

Gianluca Grasso led the Mets with 19 points (17 in attacks, one block, and one ace), followed by Egyptian Hisham Yousri with 15 points and naturalized Cuban Inovel Romero with 12. Kevin Rodríguez contributed 18 assists.

For the Cafeteros de Yauco, Mark Frazier was the only player to score in double digits with 18 points.

The series returns to Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras Coliseum in Yauco next Wednesday, November 13, for the fourth game of the series. The match is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM.

The semifinal series is best-of-seven. The Kia Cup Grand Final will begin two days after the conclusion of the last semifinal.

SEMIFINAL SERIES A

GAME #1 – Wednesday, November 6 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo / 2-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11)

GAME #2 – Friday, November 8 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco / 2-3 (28-30, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-13)

GAME #3 – Sunday, November 10 – 5:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo / 0-3 (25-22, 25-15, 25-23)

GAME #4 – Wednesday, November 13 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 15 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Monday, November 18 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Thursday, November 21 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo

NARANJITO, Puerto Rico, November 9, 2024.– The defending champions of the Puerto Rico Men’s Volleyball Superior League (LVSM), Caribes de San Sebastián, led by double-digit offense from Jalen Penrose and Pelegrín Vargas with 23 and 15 points respectively, as well as 10 team blocks, quickly left the legendary Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito with a three-set win over the Changos. This victory put them up 2-0 in Semifinal Series B.

The scores were 25-16, 25-22, and 27-25.

Regarding the straight-sets result, Pablo Guzmán, outside hitter for Caribes de San Sebastián, commented, “Well, we knew they were coming to play; all three sets were hard-fought. I think there’s still a lot of series to play; we must take it game by game, and they are a very tough team that always brings their best against us.”

Guzmán credited the victory to their serving and added, “The rotation was key; Chamo alternated me and Pelegrín on the outside, and our serve was much more effective than in the previous game.” He continued, “And to our fans, I say keep coming; we have a great team, and all fourteen of us are going to give everything on the court.”

San Sebastián outperformed Naranjito with 44-34 in attacks, 10-7 in blocks, 4-2 in aces, 30-27 in digs, 36-35 in receptions, and 15-13 in assists.

For Changos, top scorers included Jonathan Rodríguez with 11 points, Luis Vega with 9, Félix Chapman with 8, and Jorge López with 7.

The series returns to the Luis Aymat Cardona Coliseum in San Sebastián next Tuesday, November 12, for the third game, scheduled to start at 8:00 PM.

The semifinal series is best-of-seven. The KIA Cup Grand Final will begin two days after the last semifinal concludes.

SEMIFINAL SERIES B

GAME #1 – Thursday, November 7 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián – 2-3 (25-20, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25, 15-12)

GAME #2 – Saturday, November 9 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito – 3-0 (25-16, 25-22, 27-25)

GAME #3 – Tuesday, November 12 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián

GAME #4 – Thursday, November 14 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Saturday, November 16 – 8:00 PM 

 Naranjito at San Sebastián

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Tuesday, November 19 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 22 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián

YAUCO, Puerto Rico, November 8, 2024. – Cafeteros de Yauco came from behind at the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras Coliseum to even the Semifinal A series of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League  (LVSM) at one win apiece against the Mets de Guaynabo in a match that extended to five sets.

In the series opener, the Mets overcame a 0-2 deficit to claim victory in the full five sets. This time, Yauco returned the favor by mounting a comeback to secure their own revenge.

Abel Franceschi Ibarrondo, coach of the Cafeteros de Yauco, said, “This is truly a series in which Guaynabo has great depth. As for us, Diego Rosich came off the bench and did his job. If we look back, this series has been saved by the substitute player each time, and that’s very important for both teams. The important thing is that we were able to get our revenge today, tie the series, and defend our home court.”

Regarding what Cafeteros need to do to secure a lead in their next home game, Franceschi Ibarrondo added, “We’re just staying focused on the game plan. This is a young team, and it’s hard to keep them on the game plan for long stretches. We continue working on that aspect with them, and this series will be won by whichever team makes fewer mistakes.”

The scores were 28-30, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, and 15-13.

In the third set, with two sets down, Cafeteros regrouped and took control. Mark Frazier attacked well from zone four to secure the set at 21-14, and they closed the set at 25-17 with a successful attack from Diego Negrón in zone four.

In the fourth set, Yauco broke away 16-12 and eventually won the set 25-22 following a missed serve from Guaynabo’s Juan C. Ribas, forcing a decisive fifth set.

In the fifth set, after seven ties, Cafeteros took the lead at the court switch with a middle attack from Iván Fernández. The teams stayed tied until point 11; then Diego Negrón scored an ace, and Jessie Colón blocked Gianluca Grasso, pulling Yauco ahead at 13-11. They reached match point at 14-12 with an attack from Rosich in zone four and sealed the win at 15-13 after a missed serve by Grasso.

Yauco outperformed Guaynabo in defense, 46 to 42, while both teams tied with 58 kills and 31 assists. The Mets led in blocks, 11 to 10, and in receptions, 62 to 58.

For Cafeteros, top scorers were Mark Frazier with 26 points, Diego Negrón with 17, and Jessie Colón with 9 points. For the Mets, Gianluca Grasso led with 18 points, followed by Rafael Burgos and Inovel Romero with 15 points each.

The series returns to the Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo this Sunday, November 10, for Game 3, scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM.

The semifinal series are best of 7-4. The Grand Final KIA Cup will begin two days after the final semifinal concludes.

SEMIFINAL A SERIES

GAME #1 – Wednesday, November 6 – 8:00 PM Yauco in Guaynabo / 2-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11)

GAME #2 – Friday, November 8 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo in Yauco / 2-3 (28-30, 14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-13)

GAME #3 – Sunday, November 10 – 5:00 PM Yauco in Guaynabo

GAME #4 – Wednesday, November 13 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo in Yauco

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 15 – 8:00 PM Yauco in Guaynabo

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Monday, November 18 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo in Yauco

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Thursday, November 21 – 8:00 PM Yauco in Guaynabo

SAN SEBASTIÁN, Puerto Rico, November 7, 2024.- In a match with the intensity of a final series, the champions and runners-up of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) faced off in a thrilling encounter that was decided in the maximum number of sets. The home team, Caribes of San Sebastián, emerged victorious.

The match took place at the Luis Aymat Cardona Coliseum in San Sebastián. The scores in favor of Caribes were 25-20, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25, and 15-12.

Marcos Liendo Sivira, head coach of Caribes de San Sebastián, commented: “Even though we were contenders during the regular season, the semifinals are a different step. You see the atmosphere here; nothing is given, and nothing will be easy. We know facing Naranjito is no walk in the park. At one point, there was provocation, and we became part of it, which completely changed the match for us and distracted us from our game plan. To steal a game in the Gelito Ortega, we must stay focused on what we’ve done and what we need to do, follow the plan regardless of situations, and understand that these things are bound to happen.”

Naranjito managed to recover from a two-set deficit. In the third set, by playing fast through the outside hitters and improving their reception, they managed to extend the match to a fourth set. They reached set point at 24-16 with a block by Luis Candelario; the set ended 25-17 with a red card issued to the home team.

The fourth set was intense and animated for both teams. With the score at 15-10, Jalen Penrose of Caribes and Luis Candelario of Changos were sent off due to a red/yellow card, allowing the visitors to go on a 13-5 run with strong blocking, taking the lead at 23-21. An ace by Luis Vega closed the set in favor of Changos at 25-22.

In the fifth set, Jalen Penrose returned to the court, taking charge of the Pepino offense. With an attack down position two and two consecutive aces, he gave Caribes a definitive lead over Changos, setting the score at 9-4. Penrose himself sealed the victory at 15-12 with his 30th point of the match, attacking effectively down position two.

In addition to Jalen Penrose’s 30 points, the San Sebastián offense was led by Pelegrín Vargas with 19 points and Pablo Guzmán with 10. For Naranjito, Félix Chapman scored 26 points, Johansen Negrón added 13, and Luis Vega contributed 11.

San Sebastián outperformed Naranjito 65 to 55 in attacks, 50 to 47 in digs, 50 to 37 in passing, and 21 to 10 in assists, while Naranjito led in blocks, 14 to 5.

This series will continue on Saturday, November 9, at the legendary Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito, starting at 8:00 PM.

The semifinal series are best-of-7.

The KIA Cup Grand Final begins two days after the last semifinal game.

SEMIFINAL B SERIES SCHEDULE

GAME #1 – Thursday, November 7 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián – 2-3 (25-20, 25-18, 17-25, 22-25, and 15-12) 

GAME #2 – Saturday, November 9 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito 

GAME #3 – Tuesday, November 12 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián 

GAME #4 – Thursday, November 14 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito 

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Saturday, November 16 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián 

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Tuesday, November 19 – 8:00 PM 

San Sebastián at Naranjito 

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 22 – 8:00 PM 

Naranjito at San Sebastián

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, November 6, 2024. – In the opening match of Semifinal A of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM), the Guaynabo Mets successfully defended their home turf, Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum, rallying from behind in five sets against a tenacious Yauco Cafeteros.

“A very tough game. We hadn’t played in over a week, so finding our rhythm took some effort, but our team is so experienced that they did everything they could to win in five,” said team captain Ramón Burgos after the match.

Reflecting on being down two sets to none, he added, “The truth is, we’ve been in situations like this before, maybe not this year, but in previous years. We have a roster with players who’ve won two, three, four, five championships, so we have the experience, the calm, and we played better volleyball toward the end”.

Asked if the series was over after this result, the Mets’ captain concluded, “No, this series promises a lot, and we need to bring our best game every day”.

The scores were 21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11.

Guaynabo, who had not lost in three sets since October 15 against Carolina Giants, tightened up and extended the game to a decisive set with teamwork and strong offensive performances by Gregory Torres, Gianluca Grasso, and Inovel Romero. They claimed sets three and four with scores of 25-16 and 25-20.

In the fifth set, the home team started with a 5-0 lead, crossed the court side switch at 8-4 by tightening the net defense, and reached set point at 14-10 with an attack from the back row by Gianluca Grasso; they closed the victory with a 15-11 score.

Gianluca Grasso led the Mets with 20 points, closely followed by Gregory Torres with 18 and Inovel Romero with 10.

For Yauco, Mark Frazier scored 21 points, Diego Negrón contributed 11, and Jessie Colón added 10.

Guaynabo surpassed Yauco in attacks 59 to 46 and in digs 58 to 43, while Yauco had the advantage in blocks, 13 to 10.

The series continues this Friday in Yauco, with the match scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM.

The semifinal series are best-of-seven (4). The Grand Final for the KIA Cup begins two days after the last semifinal ends.

Semifinal B starts this Thursday, November 7, at Luis Aymat Cardona Stadium, where San Sebastián Caribes will host Naranjito Changos at 8:00 PM.

SEMIFINAL SERIES A

GAME #1 – Wednesday, November 6 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo / 2-3 (21-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-20, 15-11)

GAME #2 – Friday, November 8 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco

GAME #3 – Sunday, November 10 – 5:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo

GAME #4 – Wednesday, November 13 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco

GAME #5 (IF NECESSARY) – Friday, November 15 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo

GAME #6 (IF NECESSARY) – Monday, November 18 – 8:00 PM Guaynabo at Yauco

GAME #7 (IF NECESSARY) – Thursday, November 21 – 8:00 PM Yauco at Guaynabo

November 4, 2024.- Brittany Abercrombie, one of 23 newcomers this season, took Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball by storm. She rose to the top and never relinquished No. 1, winning the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball Championship. She finished with 4,521 leaderboard points, leading in all three leaderboard categories.

Abercrombie is not only the first opposite to earn the title but the first non-outside hitter to be crowned champion.

“It was a lot of hard work and I also have to thank my teammates for doing so well throughout the whole thing, but it feels kind of unbelievable,” Abercrombie said. “I wasn’t expecting this when I came here to AU.”

Never before has the league seen an opposite cruise through the five weeks of competition with dominance. Abercrombie finished second in the league in kills with 232 in 15 matches. She was one of the most efficient athletes in the circuit, taking smart shots and rarely making errors in her 582 attempts. She recorded a .255 hitting percentage on the season.

She took over the Gold team captain spot in Week Two and never wore a different color uniform. Abercrombie closed out the season with a captain’s record of 10-2. She began her captaincy with an eight-match win streak, tied for the best mark for a captain across all AU sports. Abercrombie was the go-to for her teams nearly every game and earned an MVP nod in 11 out of 15 matches.

Each of her teams expressed a togetherness and composure that trickled down from the calm demeanor of their captain. They continuously overcame deficits and won matches that extended to a “Golden Set.” Abercrombie is the winningest player of the season with 2,020 win points; she only lost two games.

“That’s how I stay focused. My baseline is pretty even,” Abercrombie said. “I get more excited for my teammates’ blocks or points than I do about my own, but I think that’s how I’m able to stay focused throughout the whole match is to stay super calm.”

Second-place medalist: Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía

Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía continues to cement herself as one of the best players in AU Pro Volleyball history, earning a second-place medal.

De La Cruz-Mejía has competed with the league since its inception and was crowned the 2022 Champion. This year she was third in the league in kills with 201,  in the top 10 for digs (126), and had one of the best positive reception percentages. In her 253 reception attempts, De La Cruz-Mejía passed well 60% of the time. Her top-spin jump serve continued to be lethal; she led the league with 17 aces.

The outside hitter is the only AU Pro Volleyball player to record more than 10,000 leaderboard points. Her name is scattered across the AU record books for single-game and single-season offense and serving statistics.

Third-place medalist: Madi Kingdon Rishel

Madi Kingdon Rishel found a way to the top of the leaderboard with consistently elite play. The AU newcomer led the league in kills with 232. She averaged 5.04 kills per set and contributed 131 digs, good for ninth-best in the circuit. She finished the five-week competition just one kill shy of the single-season record held by De La Cruz-Mejía from the 2022 season.

She was a consistent force for her teams despite the final score of her matches. Kingdon Rishel finished second on the leaderboard in stat points (1,880), second in MVP points (460), but 41st in win points (1,060).

Fourth-place medalist & Defensive Player of the Year: Morgan Hentz

Morgan Hentz made league history last year when she was named the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and now she’s in a category of her own as a three-peat winner. The libero paced the league in digs with 242 in 15 matches — a new league record.

Hentz owns the records for digs in every league category. Her name is also in the books for single-game digs (25, set in the 2023 season).

She is the only player in the league’s four years to record multiple seasons with 200 or more digs, which she has now done in each of her first three campaigns.

She was voted an MVP in five matches with the fifth-most points in that category.

Blocker of the Year: Molly McCage

Molly McCage owned the front row this season and has been named Blocker of the Year; she earned the nod in back-to-back seasons. McCage led the league in blocks with 40, which broke the record for single-season blocks formerly held by Lauren Gibbemeyer who had 33 in the 2021 season. McCage also added 24 block assists.

McCage became the career rejections leader when she passed the 84 mark; she now has 115 all-time.

Teammate of the Year: Taylor Bruns Tegenrot

Setter Taylor Bruns Tegenrot was named the Teammate of the Year. Bruns Tegenrot was largely utilized as a serving substitution throughout the season but provided invaluable insight to her teams. During time outs and throughout the match she was often seen collaborating with the other setters on her teams and helping her squad make adjustments.

The award is given to the player who has exemplified great leadership skills, is of good character, and has been a positive influence on their teams regardless of personal performance.

2024 All-Position Team

Eight athletes were also named to the 2024 All-Position Team earlier this weekend:

Outside Hitter: Betty De La Cruz-Mejía; Madi Kingdon Rishel

Opposite: Brittany Abercrombie

Middle Blocker: Molly McCage; Tori Dixon

Setter: Natalia Valentin-Anderson

Libero: Morgan Hentz; Manami Kojma

AU Pro Volleyball also announced that it will continue with its fifth season in 2025. Details regarding timing and location will be announced at a later date.

YAUCO, Puerto Rico, November 2, 2024.- Cafeteros de Yauco secured their spot in the semifinal series of the Men’s Volleyball Superior League (LVSM) on Friday night, November 1, defeating their archrivals, the Plataneros de Corozal, in a do-or-die match that went to the full five sets.

This series saw three of the five matches go to five sets, with Plataneros winning twice, but Cafeteros managed to get revenge in the final showdown. Yauco will now face Mets de Guaynabo in one of the two semifinal series; on the other side, the defending champions, Caribes de San Sebastián, will meet Changos de Naranjito.

The Cafeteros’ victory came with scores of 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 19-17.

The fifth set was once again a nail-biter. Plataneros took the court side change by the minimum, 8-7, due to a net violation by Yauco’s Eli Irizarry. There were ties at eight, nine, and from 12 all the way to 17. This set the stage for Mark Frazier to successfully attack from zone two against Corozal’s blocks, and in the following play, Spencer Olivier made an error attack from zone four, sealing the victory for the home team.

The match took place at the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco.

Mark Frazier stood out as the top player for Yauco’s win, while Spencer Olivier shined for Corozal with 26 points.

Both teams ended tied in attacks at 63-63 and aces at 4-4. Yauco outpaced Corozal in assists, 38 to 27, while Corozal led in blocks, 10 to 7, and in digs, 73 to 64.

October 31, 2024.- The race for the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship could not be tighter coming out of Week Four.

The crown is up for grabs between Brittany Abercrombie and Betty De La Cruz-Mejía while the third- and fourth-place medals could be anyone’s game.

Here’s how each team shook out the win points in Week Three to create the most contentious finish in league history:

• Team De La Cruz-Mejía: 3-0, won six sets (420 Win Points)
• Team Abercrombie: 2-1, won five sets (320 Win Points)
• Team Hentz: 1-2, won five sets (260 Win Points)
• Team Member-Meneh: 0-3, won two sets (80 Win Points)

Mover of the Week: Madi Bugg

While challenging, it’s never too late to make a run up the leaderboard and Madi Bugg made an 11-spot leap breaking into the top 25. She took advantage of her first consistent opportunity as the starting setter for a team and led them to victory. Captain De La Cruz-Mejía selected Bugg with her sixth pick and the first setter on her Week Four orange roster, indicating we’d see more of Bugg.

Bugg played in all nine sets, dishing 116 assists in three games, second-most of any setter in Week Four. She also tacked on 31 digs and facilitated her offense to a 3-0 week to stack her win-point earnings. Her offensive weapons hit .349 and averaged less than five hitting errors as a team per game. Bugg earned an MVP 2 vote, totaling 772 points for her on the week.

Her draft stock rose too. Bugg was taken with Brittany Abercrombie’s third overall pick at the Week Five draft.

First-time and second-chance captains

Making what could be two of the most crucial moves on the leaderboard after Week Four are Madi Kingdon Rishel and Dani Drews.

Kingdon Rishel will lead a team for the first time in her AU career, despite being one of the top performing athletes in the 2024 season. Kingdon Rishel desperately needed Win Points. She stands third in the league in Stat Points, second in MVP Points but 37th in win points.

She also had her best match of the season on Monday night, earning 405 leaderboard points in a single game. She had 20 kills with only four errors and seven digs. Kingdon Rishel rose four spots to be the Blue team captain for the final weekend.

On the other hand, Drews re-enters the captain’s spot after struggling her first go-round back in Week Three. Team Drews was 0-3 last time and only won two sets, dropping Drews to ninth place. Playing alongside De La Cruz-Mejía, Drews was the top point earner of the week, amassing 885 total points. It pushed her up eight spots and now she’ll have a chance to redeem her role with a new team as the purple squad’s captain.

Who will take home the hardware?

Simply put, either Abercrombie or De La Cruz-Mejía will wear the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball crown. They separated themselves from the rest of the pack early and have only widened that margin through their consistently elite play. Not only do Abercrombie and De La Cruz-Mejía rarely lose, but they also don’t have a bad night. They have been the ultimate foes throughout the season and will have to battle for each point in the last three games to earn the top spot.

Abercrombie, an opposite, would be the first player to earn the title who is not an outside hitter. De La Cruz-Mejía would also make history as the first AU Pro Volleyball player to win the championship twice (and only the second AU Pro Sports athlete to do so across all leagues).

The third and fourth-place medals are wide open for the taking. Only 242 points separate 10th place from third place on the current leaderboard. Fumbling the win points as a team could create major waves on how the leaderboard shuffles in the last three competitions of the season.

Week Five Schedule

Week Five competition begins on Friday, Nov. 1. Team Kingdon Rishel will take on Team De La Cruz-Mejía at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on FanDuel Sports Network and VBTV. Then, Team Drews will face Team Abercrombie at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, November 1, 2024. – “I’m very grateful to receive this award. I just try to play my best and work as hard as I can, so I truly appreciate the recognition from those who voted for me,” said 6-foot-5 Spencer Olivier from the Plataneros de Corozal upon learning that he was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the 2024 Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) tournament of Puerto Rico.

“I dedicate this award to my parents. Throughout my volleyball career, they have always supported me no matter the circumstances, so I am very lucky to have them by my side every time I compete. I hope to achieve more victories dedicated to them,” Olivier said after dominating the MVP votes with 42 votes.

This is the third award received by the Plataneros de Corozal in this season’s LVSM awards; earlier this week, Ramón “Monchito” Hernández and Eliud Ortiz were recognized as Coach and Team Owner of the Year, respectively.

During the regular season, Spencer scored a remarkable 330 points, divided into 274 kills, 42 blocks, and 14 aces across 80 sets, averaging 4.13 points per set.

He was also included in the All-Star Team for Best Attacker in weeks #4, #5, #8, and #12, and in the fourth week, he was named Player of the Week. He finished with 145 digs (1.81 average) and 302 receptions (3.78).

General information about Oliver, a native of Tustin, California

2021 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention

2021 All-Big West First Team

2020 All-Big West Honorable Mention

Additional Info: Competed with the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team at the NORCECA U21 Men’s Continental Championship in Havana, Cuba, during the summer of 2018.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 31, 2024.- The Plataneros of Corozal have accumulated their second award in the 2024 Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) Awards with the appointment of Eliud Ortiz as “Manager of the Year.”

“First of all, I am grateful to God; it was a tough year from the U23 process until now. I’m happy, and above all, I thank my work team. Last year was our first, and our vision was to build a team with a young core that would produce results within five years. But, my friend, we achieved it sooner,” Ortiz said upon receiving the good news.

The young manager also acknowledged the efforts of Ramón “Monchito” Hernández, the team’s head coach, and his assistant, Raúl Papaleo, for their work with the players.

Plataneros of Corozal finished the regular season with a record of 11-9, accumulating 31 points and securing third place in the Metro section. They are currently competing in the quarterfinals against the Yauco Cafeteros in a series tied at two wins each, with a do-or-die match set for Friday, November 1, as they aim to advance to the semifinals.

Ortiz’s efforts were recognized with a total of 55 votes, earning him the title of “Manager of the Year 2024.”

Regarding the decisive match against the Yauco Cafeteros and what they must do to advance to the semifinal series against the Guaynabo Mets, Ortiz added, “We need to keep focusing on our serve, but with precision, and continue blocking, which is one of our strengths. I dedicate this award to my children, who are my driving force,” Eliud concluded.

Dr. Angelo Ferrante Cruz, manager of Caribes of San Sebastián, the league’s reigning champions, came in second place with 49 votes. Ferrante Cruz was named Manager of the Year in 2023, receiving 30 votes.

Third place went to Ramón Rosado of Guaynabo Mets, with a total of 21 votes.

Others receiving votes included Salvador Henry Pérez, who debuted this year as manager (Gigantes of Adjuntas); Jorge Báez (Yauco Cafeteros); and Alexis Aponte (Naranjito Changos), who last season received enough votes to place second. Karimar Brown (Mayagüez Indios) also received votes.

LARES, Puerto Rico, October 30, 2024.- The Yauco Cafeteros managed to extend their quarterfinal series in the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) against the Corozal Plataneros, defeating them in four sets at the Félix Méndez Acevedo court.

Another nail-biting match saw three of the four sets going into extra points. The scores were 26-24, 16-25, 26-24, and 26-24.

With no tomorrow for the team led by Abel Franceschi Ibarrondo, trailing 1-2 in the series, they made adjustments to overpower the Plataneros 54-50 in attacks, 14-9 in blocks, 62-58 in digs, 63-50 in receptions, and 28-21 in assists, coming out on top as the visiting team.

In the third set, Yauco held off a late push from Plataneros, who tied the set at 24. However, two consecutive points from Diego Rosich, one in an attack from position two and another block against Sebastián Negrón, cut the breath from the home team as the Cafeteros claimed the set.

In the fourth set, after both teams split technical timeouts, Yauco reached set point first at 24-23 with a strong attack from Diego Negrón through position four. The score tied once more, but the visitors clinched the win with a middle hit by Iván Fernández and a successful block from Eli Irizarry, sealing the victory at 26-24.

Diego Negrón and Mark Frazer led the winning offense with 18 points each, followed by Diego Rosich with 11 points. Eli Irizarry added 22 assists.

For Plataneros, Spencer Olivier once again stood out with a double-digit performance, adding 24 points, with Sebastián Negrón contributing 10.

This series shifts on Friday, November 1, to the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco, where a do-or-die match will determine who advances to the semifinal series against the Guaynabo Mets.

In the other semifinal matchup, last year’s finalists, the San Sebastián Caribes, the reigning champions, and the Naranjito Changos, last year’s LVSM runners-up, will face off.

FEDPURVOLI  

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. Wednesday, October 30, 2024.- In a landslide vote in the 2024 Year-End Awards of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM), Plataneros de Corozal head coach Ramón “Monchito” Hernández Cruz was awarded the “Coach of the Year” title.

The Bayamón native earned 70 votes to claim the honor. In second place was Marcos Liendo Sivira, head coach of the defending champions Caribes de San Sebastián, with 45 votes, while Gerardo “Gerry” De Jesús of the Mets de Guaynabo took third with a total of 36 votes.

“I’m thankful to the Federation, but this year has been a collective effort by the management, coaching staff, and, above all, the players; that’s the most important thing. And secondly, we are very focused on this series against Yauco. We continue to prepare well because we know it’s a tough series, and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our game for the best results”,  Hernández Cruz commented.

He added, “I’m grateful to management for letting me return; I played for Corozal for 10 years, and representing this franchise is something special, which I’ve made sure the players understand. This isn’t about Ramón, but rather a team effort from many people. I have an excellent coaching staff, and I’d dare say it’s one of the best”.

Monchito also expressed his deep gratitude to his players for believing in the philosophy of the coaching staff and management.

This is the fourth time Hernández has won Coach of the Year; he recalls receiving it with the Plataneros roughly 10 years ago.

Tonight, the Plataneros, under his direction, are vying for a semifinal berth when they face the Cafeteros de Yauco in the fourth game of the series. Speaking about the matchup, Ramón concluded, “It’s been a very tough series, and we’re preparing. Both teams are giving their all, and we expect another hard-fought game tonight”.

Hernández was a three-time All-American while playing collegiate volleyball for Penn State from 1991 to 1994. He led Penn State to the NCAA Championship in 1994 and earned the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player award. Penn State was the first non-California team to win the championship.

In 2014, he was inducted into the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.

Hernández also won the bronze medal in men’s beach volleyball at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, partnered with Raúl Papaleo, who currently serves as his assistant with the Plataneros de Corozal in the LVSM. He represented Puerto Rico in beach volleyball at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Hernández was the head coach of the Puerto Rico men’s volleyball team in 2017.

Other coaches receiving votes included Jamille Torres (Changos de Naranjito), Abel Franceschi Ibarrondo (Cafeteros de Yauco), and Juan Lacen (Indios de Mayagüez).

MESA, Arizona, October 28, 2024.- There’s an old adage in sports that says it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season. The latest example has developed during the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season between opposite Brittany Abercrombie and outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía. 

Abercrombie had guided her team past De La Cruz-Mejía’s squad to close out each of the past two weeks. But, a comeback in the second set on Monday night allowed Team De La Cruz-Mejía to surge ahead and hold on for a 71-65 victory to complete the Week Four schedule at Arizona Athletic Grounds. 

The win allowed Team De La Cruz-Mejía to end the penultimate week of the season with a perfect 3-0 record, while Team Abercrombie slipped to 2-1. 

Opposite Willow Johnson led Team De La Cruz-Mejía to the victory with a season-high 18 kills while hitting .429 with six digs, earning MVP 1 distinction and 352 leaderboard points. 

Outside hitter Dani Drews followed with a 14-kill performance to garner MVP 2 laurels. The former Utah standout also chipped in eight digs with a blistering .444 hitting percentage to finish with 336 leaderboard points. 

Setter Madi Bugg added a double-double with 38 assists and 10 digs, while De La Cruz-Mejía contributed seven kills with eight digs. 

Abercrombie, the match’s MVP 3 honoree, paced her team in the loss with 17 kills and eight digs, while outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller tallied eight kills with 12 digs. Setter Sydney Hilley nearly registered a double-double with 34 assists and nine digs. 

How It Happened: Team Abercrombie trailed by five points in the first set before rallying to claim a 25-21 triumph for the early match advantage. But, Team De La Cruz-Mejía stormed back in the middle frame with a 25-20 decision to claim a one-point match edge at 46-45. 

Leaderboard Impact: Drews climbed up the leaderboard seven spots to move into the No. 4 position and earn the right to be a captain for the final week of the season. Abercrombie and De La Cruz-Mejía will remain as the Gold and Orange team leaders, respectively.

MESA, Arizona, October 28, 2024.- Outside hitters Madi Kingdon Rishel and Temi Thomas-Ailara combined for 37 kills as Team Hentz swept Team Member-Meneh for a 75-66 victory in the opening match of Monday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Team Hentz picks up its first win of Week Four and improves to 1-2, while Team Member-Meneh closes out the penultimate week of the season at 0-3.

Kingdon Rishel, the match’s MVP 1 recipient, totaled a season-high 20 kills on a .364 hitting percentage while adding seven digs and a solo block en route to a season-high 405 leaderboard points. 

Thomas-Ailara added a season-best 17 kills on an impressive .500 hitting clip while tying her season high with 12 digs to earn MVP 2 distinction with a season-best 411 points.

Middle blocker Kaz Brown took MVP 3 plaudits to complete the Match MVP sweep for Team Hentz after downing six kills with three solo blocks and two block assists, gaining a season-high 270 points towards the standings.

Setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson pitched in 42 assists and a match-high 14 digs, while opposite Heydi Casanova added five kills, four digs and three solo blocks in the victory.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh finished with a season-high 18 kills in the loss, while opposite Khat Bell chipped in 10 kills. Setter Alisha Childress guided the Team Member-Meneh offense with 35 assists while contributing 10 digs. 

How It Happened: Team Hentz came out on top after a back-and-forth opening frame by a 25-23 count before doubling its lead to 50-46. Team Hentz completed the match sweep with a 25-20 count in the final set. 

Leaderboard Impact: Kingdon Rishel surged into third place with 2,654 points after rising five spots in the league standings, while libero Morgan Hentz holds the fourth spot on the leaderboard with 2,549 points. 

SAN SEBASTIÁN, Puerto Rico, October 29, 2024. – In an impressive display of power and strategy on the Luis Aymat Cardona court, the Caribes swept the Gigantes de Carolina 3-0 in the quarterfinal series.

The scores in this third game were 25-14, 25-23, and 25-22, once again showcasing the team’s dominance.

Opposite hitter Jalen Penrose was the undisputed star of the night, scoring an astonishing 24 points and being the only player to reach double digits.

For the Gigantes de Carolina, Jeff Menzel fought hard, contributing 20 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop the unstoppable advance of the Caribes.

In the third set, the Caribes sealed it at 24-21 thanks to a service error by Jeff Menzel and Penrose’s flawless offensive play from Zone Two. Although Carolina tried to rally, Jalen Penrose came back and, with a decisive attack in the same zone, secured the victory with a final score of 25-22.

San Sebastián outperformed Carolina in blocks (8-4) and assists (19-9), while Carolina led in attacks (38-33), aces (4-3), and digs (44-27).

This series marks the third quarterfinal sweep where a team didn’t allow any leeway to its opponent.

The Guaynabo Mets also dominated the Mayagüez Indios 3-0, while the Naranjito Changos did the same against the Adjuntas Gigantes.

Now, the defending tournament champions Caribes de San Sebastián are preparing for an exciting semifinal showdown against last year’s runner-up, the Changos de Naranjito.

Semifinal and Final Series Format

In the Semifinal Series, the winner of Quarterfinal Series A (Guaynabo Mets – Winner) will face the winner of Series D (Yauco Cafeteros vs. Corozal Plataneros). The winner of Quarterfinal Series B (Naranjito Changos – Winner) will face the winner of Series C (San Sebastián Caribes – Winner).

The Semifinals will be played as best-of-seven games, where the first team to win four advances.

The Final Series will begin on the home court of the finalist with the higher position in the Regular Season, regardless of whether they belong to the Island or Metro Section.

Both series will follow a wins-losses system rather than the prevailing points system.

FEDPURVOLI 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 29, 2024.- Kevin Rodríguez Cintrón, setter for the Mets de Guaynabo, has been selected as the 2024 “Setter of the Year” in the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) in Puerto Rico.

Rodríguez Cintrón dominated the LVSM’s Values of the Year voting, held by the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV), receiving 77 votes to secure the honor. The runner-up was Eli Irizarry of the Cafeteros de Yauco with 25 votes, followed by Oscar Fiorentino from the Changos de Naranjito with 13 votes, and Howard García with 9 votes.

Kevin ended the regular season as the leader in sets, amassing 472 sets over 65 sets played, averaging 7.26 per set. He was included in the following All-Star Teams during the regular season: Week #2: Player of the Week; Week #3: Best Setter; Week #6: Best Setter; and Week #11: Best Setter.

Throughout the regular season, Rodríguez showcased some outstanding performances, including matches where he delivered 41 assists against the Plataneros de Corozal and 38 assists against the Indios de Mayagüez.

In the postseason, during the first game of the quarterfinals, he provided 49 assists; in the second game, he went even further with 54 assists, and in the final game of the series against the Indios de Mayagüez, he contributed 45 assists.

His average during the quarterfinals was 11.4 assists per set across 13 sets.

“”’m happy with this recognition; it’s been a great year for the Mets. I believe the management did everything possible to form a solid team, and thanks to my teammates, I was able to excel in the game and receive this acknowledgment”, said the 30-year-old setter.

Before voting, fans on social media weighed in on who they thought would be the Setter of the Year, posting comments like: “Kevin, the king of the court”… “It’s Kevin’s for sure”… “Kevin Rodríguez Cintrón by a mile”… “I’m a Changos fan, but definitely Kevin Rodríguez”… “No need to look any further! Kevin Rodríguez Cintrón, 100%.”

To this, Rodríguez responded, “Thank you for the fans’ support. I’ve been in the league for 12 years, and this is the first time I’ve received this kind of recognition. I’m really happy”. He also took the opportunity to acknowledge the work of other setters, including Howard García (Caribes de San Sebastián) and Oscar Fiorentino (Changos de Naranjito).

“I remember starting out when legends like Juanmi Ruiz, Edgardo Goas, Ángel Pérez, and Fernando Morales were active setters. Looking back, I knew this moment was coming, and I made the most of it”,  Rodríguez added.

For the newly named Setter of the Year, despite the 20-game season, the schedule didn’t feel too grueling. He enjoyed the segmented approach, though he misses the round-robin format. “It was something different, and it worked well. Above all, it was very competitive.

“I firmly believe we could add another foreign player, which would allow some teams to strengthen and be more competitive”.

“I thank my family because they’ve allowed me to keep training and doing what I love. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to keep fighting for my dreams”, Rodríguez Cintrón concluded.

Kevin and the Mets de Guaynabo now await the outcome of the series between the Cafeteros de Yauco and Plataneros de Corozal to begin the Semifinal Series.

YAUCO, Puerto Rico, October 28, 2024.- Yauco and Corozal faced off in another five-set thriller in the quarterfinals of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) at the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in this municipality, with the visiting Plataneros of Corozal emerging victorious once again.

This was the third match in the series.

Corozal won the first in five sets, Yauco took the second in four; now the Cafeteros are under pressure to win to force a decisive fifth match to determine who will move on to the semifinal series against the Mets of Guaynabo.

The scores were in favor of Corozal: 25-20, 22-25, 25-23, 17-25, and 21-19.

The sudden-death set was a heart-stopping affair. Plataneros managed to close the set and secure the victory on their fourth match point. Thanks to an error by Mark Frazier of the Cafeteros, the Plataneros took the set to match point at 20-19, and in the next play, Julio Mercedes blocked Diego Rosich to seal the victory at 21-19.

Plataneros outperformed Cafeteros 4-2 in direct serves, while Cafeteros led in attacks 60-58, defenses 60-58, and passes 69-58.

Both teams evened in blocks and assists, with 15 and 28, respectively.

Spencer Olivier led the Plataneros’ offense with 36 points, followed by Sebastián Negrón with 12 and Ramón Matos with 10.

For Cafeteros, Diego Rosich stood out with 20 points, Mark Frazier with 18, Diego Negrón with 17, and Jessie Colón with 13.

The series continues next Wednesday, October 30, at the Félix Méndez Acevedo court in Lares. The match is scheduled for 8:00 pm.

It was the only game on the calendar for tonight.

Semifinal and Final Series Format

In the Semifinal Series, the winner of Quarterfinal Series A (Mets of Guaynabo – Winner) will face the winner of Series D (Cafeteros of Yauco vs. Plataneros of Corozal). 

The winner of Quarterfinal Series B (Changos of Naranjito – Winner) will compete against the winner of Series C (Caribes of San Sebastián vs. Gigantes of Carolina). 

The Semifinals will be a best-of-seven format, with the first to win four games advancing. 

The Final Series will begin on the court of the finalist team with the highest ranking in the Regular Season, regardless of whether they belong to the Island or Metro Section. 

Both series will use a wins-and-losses system instead of the prevailing points system.

FEDPURVOLI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 28, 2024.- Gianluca Grasso, outside hitter for the Guaynabo Mets, was named the “Comeback Player of the Year” for the 2024 season in the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV).

Grasso, who was an All-American hitter with USC’s men’s volleyball program before graduating in 2019, played four years of professional volleyball. He spent three years in Puerto Rico, starting with the Mulos de Juncos. In 2021, he continued with the Caribes de San Sebastián and with the Dallas-based Texas Tyrants. His most recent season was with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel in 2023.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 28-year-old native of São Paulo, Brazil, plays as a domestic player in Puerto Rico. He was recruited by the Guaynabo Mets management for this season, receiving a total of 46 votes to secure first place.

In 38 sets, Gian accumulated 129 attacks, 12 blocks, and 19 aces, totaling 160 points with an average of 4.21. He also registered 65 digs, averaging 1.71, and 104 receptions, averaging 2.74.

“I didn’t expect it since I only played a few games and was coming off an injury, so I really wasn’t expecting it. But I’m very happy with the recognition,” said Gian after receiving the good news.

Coming off a season in Israel from August 2022 to May 2023, Grasso made the wise decision to take a break. In May of last year, he received the joyful news of his wife’s pregnancy, and as a priority, they moved to the United States to await the birth of their daughter.

“We need to keep working on our physical health; a healthy and complete team is the one that wins. We’ve had a great regular season. We keep fighting and are prepared for the results from Yauco and the Plataneros,” added the newly crowned Comeback Player of the Year.

As for returning to Europe to play volleyball, it’s something he’s still considering and has discussed with his agent. “I dedicate this award to my daughter and wife, and to my family,” Gian concluded.

Close behind Gianluca, Oscar Fiorentino from the Changos de Naranjito and Luzgardo Liciaga from the Plataneros de Corozal tied for second with 42 votes each.

They were followed by Francisco Pomar of the Gigantes de Adjuntas and Ramon Burgos of the Guaynabo Mets with 10 votes each, and Erick Ramos (Gigantes de Adjuntas) with 7 votes.

Others who received votes included Jovany Torres (Indios de Mayaguez) and Yassiel Cruz (Gigantes de Carolina).

CAROLINA, Puerto Rico, October 27, 2024.- While the Mets de Guaynabo and Changos de Naranjito completed their third quarterfinal victories to advance to the next stage of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM), the Caribes de San Sebastián had to dig deep to defeat Gigantes at the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in this municipality.

At the Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, the Mets triumphed 3-1 over the Indios de Mayagüez, closing out the quarterfinal series in three games and advancing to the LVSM semifinals. 

The set scores were 27-25, 22-25, 25-19, and 25-12. 

Hisham Yousri led Guaynabo’s offense with 19 points, while Ignacio Aldebol was the standout for Mayagüez with 23 points.

At the Gelito Ortega Coliseum in Naranjito, the Changos also advanced to the semifinals by defeating the Gigantes de Adjuntas 3-1. 

The set scores were 21-25, 25-17, 25-14, and 25-17. 

Félix Chapman led the victory with 18 points, while Heriberto Maldonado stood out for Adjuntas with 14 points. Both series ended with a 3-0 sweep by the winners.

Caribes Dig Deep 

Meanwhile, Caribes de San Sebastián fought hard and prevailed in a fifth set to put their series against the Carolina Giants on the verge of completion, with a 2-0 lead. 

The set scores were 25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 25-27, and 15-10. 

With the match tied at two sets apiece, Caribes sealed the final set by pulling ahead 12-9 with a block from Ezequiel Cruz. They reached match point at 14-10 following a missed attack by Jan Solivan from position four and secured the 15-10 victory with another block, this time by Anthony Negrón on Kevin López. 

Pelegrín Vargas led Caribes with 17 points, while Kevin López also contributed 17 points for Carolina. San Sebastián outblocked Carolina 12 to 11. 

This series will resume on Tuesday, October 29, at the Luis Aymat Cardona arena, home of the Caribes de San Sebastián. The game is set to start at 8:00 pm.

Semifinal and Final Series Format 

In the Semifinal Series, the winner of Quarterfinal Series A (Mets de Guaynabo – Winner) will face the winner of Series D (Cafeteros de Yauco vs. Plataneros de Corozal). 

The winner of Quarterfinal Series B (Changos de Naranjito – Winner) will play against the winner of Series C (Caribes de San Sebastián vs. Carolina Giants). 

The Semifinals will be played in a best-of-seven format, with the first team to win four games advancing. 

The Final Series will begin on the court of the finalist team with the highest position from the Regular Season, regardless of whether they belong to the Island or Metro Section. 

In both series, the prevailing point system will not be used; instead, a win-loss system will apply.

FEDPURVOLI

MESA, Arizona, October 27, 2024.- The triumvirate of outside hitters Claire Hoffman and Brooke Nuneviller and opposite Brittany Abercrombie combined to post 46 kills with a .421 hitting percentage to propel Team Abercrombie to a convincing 77-53 victory over Team Hentz in the finale of Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds. 

The win lifted Team Abercrombie’s Week Four record to 2-0, while handing Team Hentz its second consecutive loss in the season’s penultimate week. 

Hoffman, the match’s MVP 1 recipient, erupted for a season-high 15 kills while hitting .419 with 11 digs to collect a season-high 429 leaderboard points. 

Abercrombie, meanwhile, received her league-leading ninth Match MVP commendation of the campaign with an MVP 2 selection. The first-year AU performer slammed down a match-high 18 kills and hit .432 en route to 380 leaderboard points. 

Nuneviller completed the Match MVP sweep after nearly recording a double-double with 13 kills and nine digs, giving the Chandler, Ariz., product a season-best 335 leaderboard points. 

Setter Sydney Hilley dished out 39 assists in the victory, while libero Manami Kojima chipped in 11 digs. 

Team Hentz was paced by outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel, who tallied 11 kills with six digs. Setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson added 32 assists, while team captain Morgan Hentz garnered a match-high 18 digs. 

How It Happened: Team Abercrombie hit a blistering .533 with just one attack error in the opening set to surge ahead with a 25-12 advantage. Team Abercrombie upped its match cushion to 52-37 after holding off a fierce second set rally from Team Hentz to claim a 27-25 triumph. The squad completed the three-set sweep with a 25-16 verdict in the final frame. 

Leaderboard Impact: Hoffman climbed six spots on the leaderboard into third place after her season-high performance, giving her 2,384 leaderboard points. Abercrombie, meanwhile, will carry a 199-point advantage into Monday’s Week Four finale against Team De La Cruz-Mejía. 

MESA, Arizona, October 27, 2024.- Team De La Cruz-Mejía coasted to a 75-52 victory against Team Member-Meneh to begin Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

The victory moves Team De La Cruz-Mejía to 2-0 in Week Four, while Team Member-Meneh falls to 0-2.

Opposite Willow Johnson totaled a match-high 14 kills on a .429 hitting percentage with five digs and a solo block to garner MVP 1 honors and a career-high 357 leaderboard points. Setter Madi Bugg authored the first Match MVP performance of her AU Pro Volleyball career with 35 assists and 12 digs, securing MVP 2 plaudits and 347 points.

Middle blocker Tori Dixon completed the Match MVP sweep for Team De La Cruz-Mejía with MVP 3 recognition with an all-around performance. She tallied seven kills on a .583 hitting clip to go with a pair of digs, two solo blocks and four block assists en route to 298 leaderboard points.

Outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía tallied nine kills in the victory, while libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto contributed 10 digs.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh led her squad in the setback with 12 kills and added eight digs, while opposite Khat Bell paced the team with 10 digs. Setter Alisha Childress chipped in with 29 assists and eight digs.

How it happened: Team De La Cruz-Mejía jumped out to a 25-14 advantage after the first set and moved the lead to 50-35 after the second frame. The squad completed the sweep with a 25-17 verdict in the final set.

Leaderboard impact: The win allowed outside hitter Dani Drews to rise four spots on the leaderboard and into fourth place with 2,279 points. De La Cruz-Mejía, meanwhile, holds the top spot with 3,266 leaderboard points pending the result of Sunday’s nightcap between Team Hentz and Team Abercrombie.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 27, 2024: William Rivera, outside hitter for the Gigantes de Adjuntas, was selected on Sunday, as the “player with Most Improvement” of the 2024 season of the Men’s Volleyball Superior League (LVSM) by the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV).

Rivera, who stands 6 feet tall and recently turned 24 in September, led the 2024 season awards with 49 votes.

Over 65 sets, Rivera recorded 195 kills, 15 blocks, and 10 aces, totaling 220 points with an average of 3.38 points per set.

“I have no words; I’m trembling with emotion. It’s been a tough year with ups and downs for my team, but the hard work on and off the court has paid off. I’m excited and grateful to receive this news and to be chosen for this award,” William said when he received the news.

“There’s nothing more valuable than this, and I dedicate the award to my family and my volleyball teammates who have always believed in me,” Rivera concluded.

Ismael Alomar, middle blocker for the Gigantes de Carolina, placed second in the voting with 35 points.

Heriberto Maldonado, also of the Gigantes de Adjuntas, came in third with 22 votes, followed by Noah Meléndez of the Indios de Mayagüez in fourth place with 19 votes.

In fifth place, with 13 votes, was Diego Negrón of the Cafeteros de Yauco, while Julio Mercedes of the Plataneros de Corozal finished sixth with 9 votes.

Others who received votes included Guillermo Moya and Ramón Matos (Plataneros de Corozal), Rafael Cora (Indios de Mayagüez), and Willie Varela (Cafeteros de Yauco).

Tonight, the Gigantes will play their third quarterfinal match against the Changos de Naranjito. Although they face elimination, William, now the Most Improved Player, told us that the Gigantes are focused on extending the series with a crucial win.

NARANJITO, Puerto Rico, October 26, 2024: The Cafeteros de Yauco evened their quarterfinal series in the Men’s Volleyball Superior League  (LVSM) to one win apiece, as they avenged their previous loss to the Plataneros de Corozal with a four-set victory.

Cafeteros and Plataneros had previously staged a five-set thriller, with Plataneros taking the first match; this time, it was Yauco who came out on top.

The match took place at the iconic Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito, which served as the Plataneros’ temporary home for the night.

The score in favor for Yauco 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-18).

The Cafeteros outperformed the Plataneros in blocks (11 to 6) and aces (5 to 1), while the Plataneros led in attacks (51 to 46), digs (39 to 33), and assists (22 to 17).

The winning offense was led by Eddie Rivera with 15 points, Mark Frazier with 14, Diego Negrón with 13, and Jessie Colón with 11.

For Corozal, Spencer Olivier scored 14 points, followed by Sebastián Negrón with 11, and Julio Mercedes and Ramón Matos with 10 each.

The Quarterfinal Series are best-of-five, with the first team to win three games advancing. The series continues on Monday, October 28, at the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco at 8:00 pm.

FEDPURVOLI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 26, 2024. – Gregory Torres Cruzado, outside hitter for the Guaynabo Mets, was named “Rookie of the Year” for the 2024 season in the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV).

Torres Cruzado, 20 years old and standing 6’4”, led the 2024 Values of the Year voting for this award with 60 votes.

“Wow, you just made my day,” Gregory said after receiving the call notifying him of his accomplishment. He added, “I’m super grateful to the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation, the management of the Guaynabo Mets for giving me the chance to be on the team, and to represent the city of Guaynabo with great pride.”

Gregory also expressed his gratitude to his fans for their support and affection from day one. “I wish my father were here to see me achieve things like this,” he shared, referencing the recent loss of his father due to a heart attack. “I have a lot to say, but I dedicate this to my family and to my father, who, even though he’s not here, I know is watching over me. My heart is racing,” Gregory concluded.

In 61 sets, Gregory Torres Cruzado recorded 171 attacks, 16 blocks, and 16 aces, totaling 203 points, with an average of 3.33 points per set.

Cafeteros de Yauco’s setter, Eli Irizarry, came in second in the voting with 41 votes, followed by Enger Mieses from the Caribes de San Sebastián with 23 votes.

Ignacio Aldevol of the Mayagüez Indians took fourth place with 11 votes, while Alejandro Irizarry (Gigantes de Adjuntas) and Antonio Elías (Mets de Guaynabo) both received 8 votes for fifth place.

Other players receiving votes included Derwin Tapia (Carolina Giants), Diego Negrón (Cafeteros de Yauco), Diego Rosich (Cafeteros de Yauco), Javier Gómez (Mayagüez Indians), Sebastián Obrador (Mayagüez Indians), and William Rivera (Adjuntas Giants).

Gregory Torres and the Guaynabo Mets secured first place in the regular season of the Metro Division with a 15-5 record and 45 points. In the quarterfinals, they currently lead their series 2-0 against the Mayagüez Indians, needing only one more win to advance to the semifinals.

MESA, Arizona, October 26, 2024.- Over the first three weeks of the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season, opposite Brittany Abercrombie has been the only player in the league who has not endured the feeling of a match loss.

Heading into the third set of Friday night’s encounter with Team Member-Meneh, it appeared that nine-match win streak was in jeopardy of coming to an end. But, Abercrombie’s teammates put together a sizzling final frame to end any doubt and send the league leader into the winner’s circle once again with a 67-66 victory at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

The win allowed Team Abercrombie to open the week with a 1-0 record, while Team Member-Meneh dropped to 0-1.

Abercrombie, who secured Match MVP honors for the eighth time this season, posted a match-high 12 kills and added seven digs en route to MVP 3 distinction and 183 leaderboard points.

Outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller added 10 kills and a .375 hitting percentage in the victory, while outside hitter Gia Day earned MVP 2 accolades after posting four kills in the final set.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh received MVP 1 recognition and a match-high 264 leaderboard points in the loss after collecting 12 kills with eight digs, while opposite Khat Bell added 12 kills with five digs and two solo blocks.

Setter Alisha Childress dished out 36 assists with 12 digs in the setback for Team Member-Meneh, while outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide added a season-high 11 kills.

How it happened: Team Member-Meneh used six kills from Bell to take the opening set by a 25-20 count. The squad extended its match advantage to eight points at 50-42 as Vander Weide slammed down seven kills during the middle frame. Team Abercrombie responded in the final set by hitting .321 and forcing Team Member-Meneh into 11 attack errors, securing the match victory with a 25-16 outcome.

Leaderboard impact: The match victory allowed Abercrombie to remain in the top spot on the leaderboard for the fifth consecutive match day, but her edge over outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía stands at just 78 points heading into Sunday’s twinbill. Member-Meneh holds the No. 3 position with 2,260 leaderboard points.

MESA, Arizona, October 25, 2024. – Week Four of the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season started off with plenty of flair as Team De La Cruz-Mejía held on for a thrilling 85-81 victory against Team Hentz on Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Team De La Cruz-Mejía opens the penultimate week of the season with a 1-0 mark, while Team Hentz dips to 0-1. 

Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel led all players with 20 kills and registered 10 digs with four blocks to earn MVP 1 laurels and 305 leaderboard points, while outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara put down 18 kills with 12 digs to claim MVP 2 plaudits and 252 leaderboard points.

Libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto finished with a season-high 23 digs and garnered 239 leaderboard points to round out Match MVP honors.

Outside hitter Dani Drews posted 16 digs and eight digs, while outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía put down 15 kills with a season-high 17 digs. Setter Madi Bugg pitched in 43 assists and nine digs in the victory.

Opposite Heydi Casanova registered a league-high 24 digs and pitched in nine kills in the loss for Team Hentz. Setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson also put forth a season-high effort by dishing out 46 assists with 12 digs, while libero and team captain Morgan Hentz picked up 16 digs in the loss. 

How It Happened: Team Hentz held on to take the first set, 28-26, before Team De La Cruz-Mejía fired back with a 25-17 triumph in the second frame to take a 51-45 match lead. A marathon third set saw Team Hentz claim a 36-34 win, but Team De La Cruz-Mejía held on for the four-point match victory. 

Leaderboard Impact: De La Cruz-Mejía reclaimed the top spot on the leaderboard with 3,007 points, while Kingdon Rishel vaulted six places into third place with 2,200 points. Hentz and Valentin-Anderson round out the top five spots with 2,180 and 2,079 points, respectively. 

SAN SEBASTIÁN, Puerto Rico, October 25, 2024.- The Caribes de San Sebastián kicked off the quarterfinals of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) on the right foot, hosting the Gigantes de Carolina at the Luis Aymat Cardona court, and winning in straight sets, 25-19, 25-20, and 25-17.

The defending champions, Caribes, dominated Carolina with 37 to 25 in attacks, 30 to 29 in digs, 31 to 30 in passes, and 20 to 13 in assists; both teams had 7 successful blocks.

Carolina struggled with their reception throughout the first set due to Caribes’ powerful serves, falling 19-25.

In the second set, the champions reached set point first at 24-19 due to a failed attack from the visitors. Pelegrín Vargas sealed it with a strong cross-court attack from zone two, 25-20.

They secured victory early in the third set, pulling ahead 19-14 with a spike by Vargas from zone four. The set was put away 22-17 following a service error by Jan Solivan of the Gigantes. The Caribes reached set point 24-17 with a tip from Jackson Rivera in zone four and closed the set and match with a successful block, 25-17.

The winning offense was led by Pelegrín Vargas and Jalen Penrose, both with 14 points. For Carolina, Kevin López and Jeff Menzel each contributed 8 points.

This Group C action will continue on Sunday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m. at the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in Carolina.

One Foot in the Semifinals for Changos de Naranjito and Mets de Guaynabo

Changos de Naranjito claimed their second victory in Group B against the Gigantes de Adjuntas in straight sets. The scores at Rafael Llull Pérez Court were 25-19, 25-20, and 25-23 for  Naranjito.

Ángel Rivera, Félix Chapman, and Johansen Negrón scored in double digits for the Changos with 13, 12, and 10 points, respectively.

At the Recreation and Sports Palace, the Mets de Guaynabo had to fight hard to secure a 25-20, 23-25, 25-17, 21-25, and 15-7 victory over the Indios de Mayagüez.

Mayagüez managed to push the match to the fifth set with a 25-21 score, thanks to two failed attacks by Gregory Torres of the Mets from zone two.

The Mets took the side change at 8-1 and didn’t look back. They reached match point 14-6 with a missile from Gregory Torres in zone two; Torres then struck again to finish the match at 15-7.

This marked the Indios’ 22nd loss since the start of the season. With this victory, the Mets are one step closer to the semifinals, achieving their second win in this quarterfinal phase.

Inovel Romero led Guaynabo with 23 points, followed by Jorge Mencía and Hisham Yousri with 20 points each. For the Indios, Zachary Meyer scored 20 points, while Jovany Torres contributed 14.

This series (Group A) continues with the third match on Sunday, October 27, at 5:00 p.m. at the Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo. IF the Mets win, they will advance to the semifinals.

FEDPURVOLI

YAUCO, Puerto Rico, October 24, 2024.- The Cafeteros of Yauco and the Plataneros of Corozal delivered a true thriller in the start of the quarterfinals of Puerto Rico’s Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) in Group D, taking the match to a sudden-death set, where Plataneros secured the victory.

The match took place at Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco.

The final scores for Plataneros were 15-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, and 15-10.

Corozal led Yauco 52 to 51 in attacks and 4 to 3 in service aces, while the Cafeteros performed better in blocks, 12 to 10, defenses 49 to 47, and assists 26 to 24.

With the match tied at one set each in the third set, both teams remained neck-and-neck into the final phase, with the last tie at 17.

Then, an 8-2 run by the Cafeteros, capped off with two service aces by Mark Frazier, ended the set in Yauco’s favor.

The fourth set was as intense as the previous, with Corozal pulling ahead toward the end, stretching the lead to 23-18 with two service aces by Carlos Berlingeri and a successful attack down the right side by Sebastián Negrón against Yauco’s block, holding off the home team’s momentum to close the set 25-23 after a missed attack by Frazier.

In the sudden-death set, the Plataneros took control, leading at the court change 8-4, and stretching the advantage to 12-8 with another ace from Berlingeri, sealing the set at 15-10.

Corozal’s offense was led by a double-digit effort from Sebastián Negrón with 20 points, alongside 14 points each from Spencer Olivier and Arnaldo Torres. Luzgardo Liciaga contributed 22 assists.

For Yauco, Mark Frazier stood out with 21 points, while Eddie Rivera and Jessie Colón added 14 each.

The series will continue next Saturday, October 26, when the Cafeteros visit Corozal, this time at the Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito, the provisional home of the Plataneros. The match is set to begin at 8:00 p.m.

FEDPURVOLI

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 24, 2024) – USA Volleyball is pleased to announce that Karch Kiraly will transition to head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Quadrennial.  

Kiraly transfers to the post with the current coach, John Speraw, having been named USA Volleyball’s president and CEO on October 1. Speraw served for 12 years as the Men’s National Team head coach.  

“I am thrilled that Team USA’s greatest winner will be moving from the U.S. Women’s Team to lead the U.S. Men into LA 2028,” Speraw said. “I have complete and total trust in Karch’s process. He has a relentless work ethic, brilliant intellect and is a selfless teacher.” 

Kiraly transfers to the U.S. Men’s National Team from his role as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team where he has served since September 2012. Most recently, he led the U.S. Women to the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In 2021, he helped the U.S. Women win their first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo. He also coached the team to an Olympic bronze medal in Rio 2016 and to its first World Championship win in 2014.  

“Chances to collaborate with some of the best people and players on the planet – and to represent our country while striving for incredibly difficult goals like Olympic gold medals – are precious beyond words,” Kiraly said. “For one-quarter of my life, I’ve poured everything I have into the U.S. Women’s Team; first as an assistant, then as head coach. Now, it’s time for new adventures and new challenges.” 

The U.S. Women have won three Volleyball Nations League trophies (2018, ’19 and ’21) and the 2015 Grand Prix under Kiraly, who compiled a 327-81 record in his 12 years as head coach. Prior to becoming the head coach, he served as an assistant coach for four years under Hugh McCutcheon and helped the U.S. Women win the 2012 Olympic silver medal. 

Kiraly takes over a U.S. Men’s Team that won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and is ranked No. 3 in the world. 

“I am thrilled beyond words at the opportunity to coach the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Kiraly said. “I’ve watched with respect and admiration for everyone in the program as they’ve pursued excellence, both in training and in competition. This opportunity shines even brighter as I fondly recall the nine seasons I spent as a player with the program.” 

Kiraly is considered one of the greatest volleyball players ever. He won two Olympic gold medals in indoor volleyball (1984, 1988) and one in beach volleyball (1996).  

He was selected the greatest volleyball player of the 20th century by the FIVB and has been inducted into several halls of fame, including the International Volleyball Hall of Fame (2001), the United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame (2008) and the UCLA Hall of Fame (1992). 

 “All of us at USA Volleyball recognize that our record of success in the sport began when Karch led Team USA to the gold medal in 1984,” Speraw said. “I think it is fitting that when Karch steps onto the court at the LA Olympics, he will be competing with the men’s team one more time.”  

“Karch will not only bring his experience, skills and knowledge of the game to a team riding high going into a new Olympic & Paralympic quad, but he can also be a part of the game where he began his career with USA Volleyball as a Men’s National Team player,” said USA Volleyball Board of Directors Chair Dave Gentile. 

Collegiately, Kiraly was an outside hitter who led UCLA to a 124-5 record and three national titles during his four years. 

Kiraly and his wife Janna have two adult sons, Kristian and Kory. 

More from Karch Kiraly: “Huge thanks to USA Volleyball for all the chances to represent the United States; to the players and staff of the U.S. Women’s Team, too many to name, who did so much of the heavy lifting over the last 16 years; and finally, to the players and staff of the Men’s Team for the chance to work alongside you. Life has a way of humbling us all; the way you responded to adversity, and seized the bronze medal in Paris, should be a model for all to follow.” 

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, October 23, 2024.- The Mets of Guaynabo kicked off the quarterfinals of the Puerto Rican Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) with a victory in Group A, defeating the Indios of Mayagüez in four sets at the Mario “Quijote” Morales Coliseum.

The scores were 27-29, 25-20, 25-20, and 25-12.

Guaynabo showed its superiority over Mayagüez in several areas: 68 to 44 in attacks, 9 to 7 in blocks, 4 to 1 in aces, 58 to 47 in digs, 56 to 47 in receptions, and 53 to 23 in assists.

In the first set, the Mets and the Indios engaged in a close back-and-forth battle, with the Indios taking the set 29-27 thanks to an attack by Jovany Torres down the left side and a mistake by Gregory Torres of the Mets.

Despite the improvement of Mayagüez, the Mets came back strong in the following sets, led by Inovel Romero and Gregory Torres.

In the second set, the Mets reached set point at 24-20 with Gregory Torres attacking well from the right side, and the set was sealed with an ace on the next play.

In the third set, Gianluca Grasso delivered the set point at 24-20 from the left side, and Gregory Torres closed it out from the right side.

In the fourth set, Guaynabo dominated, leading by as much as 11 points, 21-10, with an ace from Inovel Romero. Grasso gave the Mets set point at 24-12 with a powerful spike from the left, and Antonio Elías finished it with a middle attack for a 25-12 win.

The Mets had three players in double digits: Gregory Torres with 26 points, Inovel Romero with 23, and Gianluca Grasso with 13. Kevin Rodríguez provided 49 assists.

For Mayagüez, Zachary Meyer led with 16 points, followed by Jovany Torres with 13 and Jail Santiago with 12.

This series will continue on Friday, October 25, at the Palacio de Recreación y Deportes in Mayagüez at 8:00 p.m.

It was the 21st consecutive loss for the Indios of Mayagüez since the start of the regular season.

Changos Defend Their Nest

In the other match of the night, the Gigantes of Adjuntas faced the Changos of Naranjito in Group B at the legendary Gelito Ortega court.

Naranjito’s victory came with scores of 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, and 25-13.

Naranjito outperformed Adjuntas 53 to 48 in attacks, 8 to 4 in blocks, 42 to 35 in digs, and both teams tied with 25 assists each. Félix Chapman and Jorge López led the Changos with 26 and 11 points, respectively.

For the Gigantes of Adjuntas, Cristian Encarnación stood out with 20 points, and William Rivera contributed 15.

This series continues on Friday, October 25, at the Rafael Llull Pérez court in Adjuntas at 8:00 p.m.

FEDPURVOLI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 23, 2024. – The quarterfinal series of the Puerto Rico Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) kicks off tonight, with the 8 qualified teams divided into four series.

SERIES A: METS DE GUAYNABO VS. INDIOS DE MAYAGÜEZ

The Mets de Guaynabo (15-5, 45 points), leaders of the metro section, begin their quarterfinal series against the Indios de Mayagüez, who failed to secure any victories in 20 matches during the regular season, finishing in fourth and last place in the island section.

The head-to-head series between the two was dominated by the Mets 2-0, with the Indios managing to win only one set.

Mayagüez needs to improve their serving, as they recorded a staggering 32 service errors, with a negative average of 4.57 per set.

The Mets, with a strong offense with their outside hitters led by Inovel Romero, Hisham Yousri, Gianluca Grasso, and Gregory Torres, guided by setter Kevin Rodríguez, will be tough to beat.

SERIES B: CHANGOS DE NARANJITO VS. GIGANTES DE ADJUNTAS

In the other match of the night, Gigantes de Adjuntas will face the Changos de Naranjito.

The Gigantes, in their head-to-head series with the Changos, committed 39 attack errors, equivalent to almost two sets, with a negative average of 5.57. If they can address this weakness, their chances of victory will improve.

The series was dominated by the Changos 2-0, under the direction of Jamille Torres Rosario, who is also the coach of Puerto Rico’s Men’s National Volleyball Team.

Naranjito finished the regular season in second place in the metro section with a 12-8 record and 37 points. Adjuntas finished third place in the island section with a 5-15 record and 15 points.

MINIMIZING ERRORS, KEY FOR INDIOS AND GIGANTES

To have a chance of victory, both the Indios and Gigantes will need to minimize their errors. Effort and focus on every play will be crucial to competing against the top teams in their respective series.

The matches begin at 8:00 pm tonight, Wednesday, October 23, at the legendary Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito and the Mario Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo.

The Quarterfinal Series will be played in a best-of-five format, where the first team to win three games will advance.

The teams in the 1st position of Series A and C, and the 2nd position teams in Series B and D, will have home-court advantage.

In this phase, the point system will not be used, only wins and losses.

FEDPURVOLI

MESA, Arizona, October 21, 2024. – After Team Abercrombie and Team De La Cruz-Mejía closed Week Two with an exciting result, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if the two squads fashioned another match to remember in Monday night’s Week Three finale. 

Not only did the two teams deliver in the rematch, but they sent the fans at Arizona Athletic Grounds home with a match they won’t soon forget as Team Abercrombie thwarted a comeback bid by Team De La Cruz-Mejía to secure a 75-72 Golden Set win in Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action. 

The memorable victory allowed Team Abercrombie to close Week Three with a perfect 3-0 record, while Team De La Cruz-Mejía dropped to 2-1. 

Libero Morgan Hentz posted an AU Pro Volleyball season-high 22 digs to capture MVP 1 laurels and 318 leaderboard points, while outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara smashed 14 kills on a .385 hitting percentage with seven digs and a solo block in route to MVP 2 honors and 293 leaderboard points.

Captain Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía garnered MVP 3 plaudits with 19 kills, including eight kills in the third set to help force the Golden Set, while adding seven digs, a service ace and a block to collect 216 points.

Outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide pitched in eight kills and eight digs for Team Abercrombie, while setter Alisha Childress added 36 assists and 15 digs in the victory. 

Outside hitter Claire Hoffman downed 10 kills, including nine in the third set, with 11 digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía and setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson guided the offense with 36 assists in the loss. 

Four players finished with 11 digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía.

How It Happened: Team Abercrombie edged Team De La Cruz-Mejía, 25-21, in the opening set and needed a few extra points in the second frame to open up a 51-45 match advantage. Team De La Cruz-Mejía battled back in the third set, 25-19, to tie the match at 70-all and send the match to a Golden Set where Team Abercrombie secured the victory.

Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie remains in the top spot through three weeks with 2,914 points, while De La Cruz-Mejía stays in second with 2,709 points. Hentz jumped four spots in the Week Three finale and sits in third with 2,021 points to return to the captain’s seat in Week Four.

MESA, Arizona, October 21, 2024.- Team Member-Meneh built a commanding lead in the first two sets and withstood a third-set rally from Team Drews to secure a 76-59 victory in the opening match of Monday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds. 

Team Member-Meneh closes Week Three at 1-2 with the three-set sweep, while Team Drews ends the week winless in its three contests.

Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel put down 14 kills with 15 digs and a pair of solo blocks to claim MVP 1 honors and a season-high 399 leaderboard points, while setter Marlie Monserez pitched in 30 assists and a match-high 18 digs for MVP 2 plaudits and a season-best 392 leaderboard points.

Middle blocker Kayla Haneline smashed nine kills on a remarkable .643 hitting percentage and matched the AU Pro Volleyball single-match record with seven solo blocks to claim MVP 3 laurels and 353 leaderboard points. She also dropped in a service ace and recorded three block assists in the victory. 

Opposite Willow Johnson struck at a .300 clip and added 13 kills with seven digs for Team Member-Meneh, which hit .267 as a team.

Captain Dani Drews downed 11 kills for her squad in the loss, while outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller chipped in 10 kills. Libero Mary Lake collected a season-high 17 digs to anchor the Team Drews defensive effort. 

How It Happened: Team Member-Meneh opened up a 25-16 lead after the first set and increased the advantage to 50-35 through two frames. Team Drews kept things close in the final frame, but Team Member-Meneh claimed the third set, 26-24, to secure the victory and the win points sweep. 

Leaderboard Impact: Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh slid into the third spot on the leaderboard with 1,996 points while Kingdon Rishel vaulted seven positions into fourth place with 1,895 points ahead of the Week Three finale between Team Abercrombie and Team De La Cruz-Mejía. Drews also maintained a top-10 position, standing seventh in the league standings with 1,730 points.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 21, 2024. – Luis “Luismi” Beltrán, player of the Gigantes de Carolina, was selected as the Most Valuable Player and Best Libero in Week #12 of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico. 

In this week, the last of the tournament, Beltrán, a graduate of Purdue University Fort Wayne, accumulated 69 digs in 17 sets played, for an average of 4.06. 

Additionally, he made 81 receptions with an average of 4.76. Luis Beltrán, MVP of the week, finished first with 264 digs in 75 sets, for an average of 3.52. 

In reception, he was also number one, with an average of 4.97, and the best libero with 264 positive digs and 373 positive receptions, for an average of 8.49. 

Luismi and the Gigantes de Carolina finished in fourth place in the Metro section with a record of 8-12 and 25 points, advancing to the quarterfinals to face the Caribes de San Sebastián, defending champions and leaders of the Island section. 

FEDPURVOLI

ALL STAR TEAM WEEK #12

• Luis M. Beltrán (Gigantes de Carolina) – MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AND BEST LIBERO

• Eddie Rivera (Cafeteros de Yauco) – BEST ATTACKER

• Willie Varela (Cafeteros de Yauco) – BEST BLOCKER

• Julio Mercedes (Plataneros de Corozal) – BEST BLOCKER

• Howard García (Caribes de San Sebastián) – BEST SETTER

• Félix Chapman (Changos de Naranjito) – BEST OPPOSITE

• Spencer Olivier (Plataneros de Corozal) – BEST ATTACKER

MESA, Arizona, October 20, 2024. – Led by middle blocker Molly McCage, Team Abercrombie outlasted Team Member-Meneh to claim a 73-71 verdict in a back-and-forth contest in the finale of Sunday’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

With the result, Team Abercrombie moves to 2-0, while Team Member-Meneh sinks to 0-2 in Week Three. 

McCage, the match’s MVP 1 selection, swung at a .400 clip and smashed eight kills in the victory while matching her career high with six solo rejections to secure a season-high 329 leaderboard points.

League newcomer Madi Kingdon Rishel tied her season high with 17 kills and added nine digs to claim MVP 2 plaudits and 217 points, while teammate Willow Johnson tallied a double-double with 15 kills and 11 digs on her way to MVP 3 accolades and 155 leaderboard points.

Captain Brittany Abercrombie finished with 10 kills, seven digs, a service ace and a solo block to guide her team to the victory, while setter Alisha Childress dished out 35 assists. Libero Morgan Hentz chipped in a match-high 12 digs to pace the Team Abercrombie defense.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh put down nine kills with six digs and a pair of blocks in the setback, while setter Marlie Monserez registered a season-high 40 assists and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season.

How It Happened: The teams battled to a 48-all tie through two sets before Team Abercrombie rallied to secure the match win with a 25-23 verdict in the final set. McCage led the charge by tallying five kills and three solo blocks in the final frame. 
Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie owns the top spot for another day with 2,649 points, while teammate Morgan Hentz slides into the sixth spot. Member-Meneh is the only member of her squad in the top 10, holding fourth place with 1,756 points. 

MESA, Arizona, October 20, 2024. – A trio of players finished with double-digit kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía fended off a third-set push from Team Drews for a 66-64 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball victory on Sunday afternoon at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Team De La Cruz-Mejía stays perfect in Week Three at 2-0, while Team Drews drops to 0-2.

Opposite, Khat Bell finished with a season-high 15 kills on a .351 hitting percentage with eight digs and a pair of solo blocks to garner MVP 1 honors and a season-high 361 leaderboard points.

Outside hitter Claire Hoffman struck at a .435 clip with a season-high 12 kills and eight digs for Team De La Cruz-Mejía to claim MVP 2 honors and 309 leaderboard points, while middle blocker Tori Dixon put down five solo blocks with two block assists, four digs and a pair of kills to receive MVP 3 plaudits and 261 points. 

Captain Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía finished with 13 kills and four digs in the victory, while setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson dished out 38 assists with eight digs. Libero Manami Kojima chipped in a match-high 14 digs in the victory for Team De La Cruz-Mejía.

Outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller led the way for Team Drews with 10 kills, while setter Sydney Hilley pitched in 30 assists in the setback. Libero Mary Lake paced the squad with 11 digs. 

How It Happened: Team De La Cruz-Mejía opened up a seven-point advantage with a 25-18 triumph in the opening frame before upping the lead to 50-39 after two sets. Team Drews avoided being swept by picking up a 25-16 win in the final frame, but Team De La Cruz-Mejía held on for a 66-64 match victory. 

Leaderboard Impact: De La Cruz-Mejía rose back into the top spot on the leaderboard but holds a slim 63-point edge over opposite Brittany Abercrombie pending Sunday’s nightcap between Team Member-Meneh and Team Abercrombie. Bell, meanwhile, surged six spots up the leaderboard into eighth place.

MESA, Arizona, October 18, 2024.- Team Abercrombie used strong performances from opposite Brittany Abercrombie, libero Morgan Hentz, setter Alisha Childress and outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara to move past Team Drews, 75-68, in the second match of Friday night’s Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball doubleheader at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Team Abercrombie moves to 1-0 after winning its Week Three opener, while Team Drews slides to 0-1.

Abercrombie dialed up a match-high 15 kills on a .324 hitting percentage with 14 digs to claim MVP 1 plaudits and 355 leaderboard points. Hentz, meanwhile, garnered MVP 2 honors following a 17-dig performance to receive 272 points.

Childress, who made her first start of the season, earned MVP 3 distinction and 274 leaderboard points after a season-best performance that saw her dish out 40 assists with 10 digs, three blocks and a pair of kills. 

Thomas-Ailara posted her first double-digit kill effort of the season with 13 kills while contributing six digs and a pair of blocks in Team Abercrombie’s victory, while outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide put down seven kills with a pair of service aces, 10 digs and a solo block. 

Middle blocker Molly McCage chipped in five solo blocks, four block assists and seven kills for Team Abercrombie. 

Outside hitter Dani Drews paced her squad with 11 kills and seven digs in the loss, while libero Mary Lake registered a team-high 15 digs. 

How It Happened: Team Abercrombie opened up a 25-21 lead in the opening frame and advanced the lead to 50-41 after the middle frame. Team Drews took the final set, 27-25, but could not overcome the deficit. 

Leaderboard Impact: Abercrombie remains in the top position on the leaderboard following the opening night of Week Three with 2,430 points, while Childress and Thomas-Ailara each jumped six places in the standings. 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 20, 2024.- In an exciting Sunday action of the Superior Men’s Voleibol League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico, the Caribes de San Sebastián, Mets de Guaynabo, and Gigantes de Carolina wrapped up the regular season with convincing victories in their respective matchups, setting high expectations for the postseason series. 

At the Raúl “Pipote” Oliveras court in Yauco, the national champions Caribes de San Sebastián defeated the Cafeteros in four sets 25-19, 25-21, 18-25, and 25-15. 

The combined offense of Pelegrín Vargas, Jalen Penrose, Pablo Guzmán, and Pedro Nieves with 19, 18, 12, and 10 points respectively, was more than enough to secure their 17th win of the season, finishing with an impressive 17-3 record and 51 points, solidifying their lead in the island region. 

For the Cafeteros, who ended the regular season with a 12-8 record and 34 points, Mark Frazer and Jessie Colón stood out with 12 and 10 points respectively. 

San Sebastián outperformed Yauco in all facets of the game: 55 to 35 in attacks, 8 to 7 in blocks, 6 to 4 in aces, 41 to 33 in digs, and 27 to 16 in assists. 

FEDPURVOLI

Mets Win in Three Over Changos

The Mets de Guaynabo closed the regular season of the LVSM with a straight-set victory over the Changos de Naranjito. The set scores were 25-22, 31-29, and 25-23. 

Jorge Mencía led the Mets’ offense with 18 points, followed by Gregory Torres with 14. For the Changos, Adrián Iglesias contributed 12 points, and Johansen Negrón added 8. 

The match took place at the legendary Gelito Ortega court in Naranjito, where Guaynabo outperformed Naranjito in attacks (43 to 34), digs (27 to 20), and assists (28 to 16). 

The Mets finished in first place in the metro section with a 15-5 record and 45 points, while the Changos ended in second place with a 12-8 record and 37 points. 

Gigantes Get Revenge on Plataneros

At the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum, the Gigantes de Carolina defeated the Plataneros de Corozal in five sets, avenging their loss from Saturday. 

The set scores were: 17-25, 19-25, 28-26, 25-23, and 15-9. Pedro Pastrana led the Gigantes’ victory with 23 points, while Luis Pabón contributed 17. For the Plataneros, Joseph Cuevas stood out with 13 points. 

Thus, the Gigantes de Carolina concluded the regular season with an 8-12 record and 25 points in fourth place in the metro section, while the Plataneros de Corozal occupy third place with an 11-9 record and 31 points. 

Both teams finished with 55 attacks each; Corozal outperformed Carolina in blocks (16 to 9) and aces (6 to 4), while Carolina was better in digs (69 to 58). In passing, Corozal was superior (63 to 56), and they also led in assists (29 to 14). 

Expectations are high for the LVSM quarterfinals, where the top teams will battle to continue their way to the championship.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, October 21, 2024.- The final positions for the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM) of Puerto Rico have been determined for the Quarterfinals, which begin on Wednesday, October 23. The Quarterfinals will feature the 8 teams that qualified from the Regular Series, divided into four exciting matchups. 

Series A will consist of the team that finished first in the Metro Section and the team that finished fourth in the Island Section: METS DE GUAYNABO VS. INDIOS DE MAYAGÜEZ. 

Series B will be composed of the team that finished second in the Metro Section and the one that finished third in the Island Section: CHANGOS DE NARANJITO VS. GIGANTES DE ADJUNTAS. 

Series C will feature the team that finished first in the Island Section and the team that finished fourth in the Metro Section: CARIBES DE SAN SEBASTIÁN VS. GIGANTES DE CAROLINA. 

Series D will consist of the team that finished second in the Island Section and the one that finished third in the Metro Section: CAFETEROS DE YAUCO VS. PLATANEROS DE COROZAL. 

The Quarterfinal Series will be played in a best-of-five format, with the first team winning three games advancing. The teams in the 1st position in Series A and C, and the teams in the 2nd position in Series B and D, will have home-court advantage. 

In this phase, the points system will not be used, instead, it will be based on wins and losses. 

Quarterfinals Schedule:

Wednesday, October 23:

Mayagüez at Guaynabo (8 pm) 

Adjuntas at Naranjito (8 pm) 

Thursday, October 24: 

Corozal at Yauco (8 pm) 

Friday, October 25:

Guaynabo at Mayagüez (8 pm) 

Carolina at San Sebastián (8 pm) 

Naranjito at Adjuntas (8 pm) 

Saturday, October 26:

Yauco at Corozal (8 pm) at the “Gelito” Ortega Coliseum 

Sunday, October 27:

Mayagüez at Guaynabo (5 pm) 

Adjuntas at Naranjito (6 pm) 

San Sebastián at Carolina (6 pm) 

MESA, Arizona, October 18, 2024. – The duo of outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía and opposite Khat Bell combined for 29 kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía downed Team Member-Meneh, 72-64, to start Week Three of Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action on Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds. 

Team De La Cruz-Mejía begins the week at 1-0, while Team Member-Meneh falls to 0-1. 

De La Cruz-Mejía amassed a match-high 17 kills with a service ace and eight digs to claim MVP 1 honors and 356 leaderboard points, while libero Manami Kojima added 20 digs for MVP 2 plaudits and 300 points.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh set a season high with 16 kills and chipped in 10 digs to earn MVP accolades and 183 leaderboard points in the defeat.

Bell tallied 12 kills with seven digs and a pair of solo blocks for Team De La Cruz-Mejía, while setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson finished with 35 assists and 16 digs in the victory. 

Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel recorded nine kills and nine digs in the loss for Team Member-Meneh and setter Marlie Monserez added 30 assists with a team-high 15 digs. 

How It Happened: Team De La Cruz-Mejía took the opening set by a 25-18 count before Team Member-Meneh trimmed the match deficit to 47-43 with a 25-22 score in the second frame. Team De la Cruz-Mejía secured the match victory with a 25-21 triumph in the final set. 

Leaderboard Impact: De La Cruz-Mejía returns to the top spot on the leaderboard with 2,277 points, while Kojima and Valentin-Anderson each moved up one spot into fourth and fifth places with 1,611 points and 1,522 points, respectively. 

Notes of Interest

Member-Meneh and De La Cruz-Mejía faced each other as opposing captains for the first time in their Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball careers.

Member-Meneh, the 25th player in AU Pro Volleyball history to serve as a team captain, made her debut as a team leader on Friday night.

De La Cruz-Mejía moved her AU Pro Volleyball career captain’s record to 25-12 … She is the second player in all Athletes Unlimited sports to reach 25 victories as a team leader … Attacker Sam Apuzzo, the 2024 AU Pro Lacrosse champion, is the all-time leader with 27 wins as a captain. 

Teams wearing the Orange jersey have won five straight matches after Team Abercrombie went 3-0 in Week two, while teams donning the Blue top have now lost their last six contests. 

Outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine suffered the first loss of her Athletes Unlimited career after opening the season at 6-0 … Opposite Brittany Abercrombie is the only remaining player in the league with a perfect match record this season.

Monserez lost her sixth straight contest after being on the winning side in the league’s first match day of the season. 

Valentin-Anderson posted her seventh double-double of the season, which tops the league … It marked her 26th career AU Pro Volleyball double-double, extending her all-time lead. 

Member-Meneh surpassed 15 kills for the first time in her AU Pro Volleyball career with her season-high 16 kills … She also posted her second double-double of the season. 

Bell finished with double-digit kills for the fifth time this season, including the fourth outing in a row. 

Kojima is the second player to record 20 or more digs in a single match this season, joining Morgan Hentz (October 11 vs. Team Caffey) … She is the ninth player in league history to achieve the mark.  

Libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto secured her 42nd match with 10 or more digs to increase her existing league record. 

De La Cruz-Mejía became the first player in the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball season to reach 100 kills … She is the league’s all-time leader in the category with 694 kills.

De La Cruz-Mejía surpassed 15 kills for a league-record 23rd time in her AU Pro Volleyball career, including her fourth instance this season. 

Monserez piloted her second double-double performance of the season … She also finished with 15 or more digs for the first time this season. 

De La Cruz-Mejía claimed her 33rd career Match MVP award, including the 17th MVP 1 certificate … Both marks stand as league records.

Kojima earned the first Match MVP honor of her AU Pro Volleyball career … She is the 69th different player in league history to receive a Match MVP award. 

October 16, 2024.- The American Athletes Unlimited women’s volleyball 2024 season enters week three. This is the fourth season and it’s being held in Mesa, Arizona over the course of five weeks.

In partnership with USA Volleyball, Athletes Unlimited launched its professional women’s indoor volleyball league in the U.S. in 2021.

With international stars and American national team players on the court, a unique competition system and every match available for international subscribers on VBTV.

• Watch the Athletes Unlimited League live onVBTV

The teams are set for the third week of the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season, which gets underway on Friday, October 18, at Arizona Athletic Grounds.

Opposite Brittany Abercrombie, who paced the league with 1,013 leaderboard points in Week Two, climbed into the top spot in the league standings and will guide the Gold team into the middle week of the campaign. The former USC standout paces the league with 94 kills through two weeks and has earned Match MVP distinction in all six matches, including a league-best four MVP 1 certificates.

Outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía earned her league-record 13th stint as a team captain after closing Week Two in second place with 1,933 leaderboard points. De La Cruz-Mejía, the 2022 AU Pro Volleyball champion, will lead the Orange squad into Week Three after piloting her teams to a 5-1 record in the first two weeks.

Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh, who has been on De La Cruz-Mejía’s side in the season’s first two weeks, will now be on the opposite side of the court after earning her first career stint as a team captain. The AU newcomer is tied for fifth in the circuit with 59 kills and owns a 5-1 match record through two weeks.

Outside hitter Dani Drews returns to the captain’s chair for the first time since 2022 after vaulting into fourth place on the leaderboard after Team Abercrombie’s 71-54 victory over Team De La Cruz-Mejía in Monday night’s Week Two finale. Drews, who has accumulated 1,383 leaderboard points, was a three-time captain in 2022 and will serve as the Purple team leader in Week Three.

Week Three begins with Team Member-Meneh vs. Team De La Cruz-Mejía on Friday, October 18, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT followed by Team Abercrombie vs. Team Drews on Bally Sports and Volleyball TV.

The Athletes Unlimited volleyball league has a unique format, unlike any other tournament, as players earn points individually for every action they make on the court and accumulate them over the five weeks of the season. At the end of the fifth week, the one with the most points will be crowned as the champion.

The league has a 44-player roster, which is used to form four different teams every week – four players are designated as captains each week and get to draft their teammates a few days before the start of the matches of that week.