Game Preview: San Diego Mojo at Grand Rapids: March 5, 2025
March 4, 2025 - Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF)
San Diego Mojo News Release
San Diego Mojo and Grand Rapids Rise set to play home-and-home matchups this week.
Game 14: San Diego Mojo (5-8) at Grand Rapids Rise (5-8)
The San Diego Mojo and Grand Rapids Rise will square off on Wednesday, March 5 at 4 p.m. PT inside Van Adel Arena in the first of home-and-home games between the squads, with the two squaring off in San Diego on Sunday.
San Diego and Grand Rapids will meet for the third time this season and second time at Van Andel Arena. The teams have split the season series so far, each winning on their home court with the Rise winning by sweep on Feb. 2 and the Mojo winning in four sets last Thursday, Feb. 27.
In last week's meeting, the Mojo had a season-high 16 blocks in the win, equaling the fourth-most in franchise history, and held the Rise to a .086 hitting percentage.
The Mojo and Rise will meet twice this week, as both squads will head back to SoCal this weekend for a 4 p.m. first serve at Viejas Arena on Sunday, March 9.
San Diego lead the all-time series 4-2 with a 1-2 mark as the visitor. The Rise have won the last two meetings in Grand Rapids, taking both matchups in three set.
Tune-In
Fans can watch the game live on The Roku Channel.
A.J. Kanell (play-by-play) and Madison Fitzpatrick (analyst) will be on the call.
San Diego Mojo Outlook
San Diego arrive in Grand Rapids winners of two-straight matches, including a four-set victory over the Rise on February 27. Last time out, the Mojo defeated the Columbus Fury in four sets, 20-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-22, on Saturday night at Viejas Arena to remain undefeated in six matches against the Fury.
Middle blocker Regan Pittman registered another stellar outing with a team-high 18 points with season highs of 11 kills and seven blocks, while hitting .435 on the night and contributing six digs and one assist. The seven blocks were a Mojo season best and equaled the second-most in a game in franchise history. Ronika Stone had an outstanding all-around performance, posting a season-high 12 kills with a .440 hitting percentage to go along with two aces, two blocks and four digs.
Outside hitter Elise McGhee has developed into a reliable option off the bench, providing 13 points on 11 kills, one block and two service aces. Setter DaYeong Lee extended her double-double streak to three games, her eighth of the year, with 49 assists and 11 digs. Outside hitter Kendra Dahlke had nine kills and a team-high 17 digs, and libero Shara Venegas had 15 digs.
Dahlke has been one of the top players in the Pro Volleyball Federation in 2025, ranking fourth in kills per set (3.80) and seventh in points per set (4.11).
Lee is fourth in the PVF in total assists with 490 total assists on the year and is tied in assists per set averaging 10.43 per frame.
Stone remains a force among middle blockers in the league, ranking sixth in the league in total blocks (26) and ninth in blocks per set (0.54) while also being a scoring precense with a 40.2% kill percentage, also the ninth-best mark in the league.
Lauren Page has been a standout performer for the Mojo, totaling 12 blocks and 0.44 blocks per set, highlighted by a pair of four-block games against Indy.
Venegas has come up huge in court coverage, averaging 3.95 digs per set, the second-best mark in the PVF, with 174 total digs on the season that rank third in the league.
Pittman has also been among the best middles in the league, totaling 19 blocks with a 0.76 per set average, the third-best average in the league. She has also collected six aces on the year and is averaging 0.24 aces per set, the fourth-best mark in the league.
Grand Rapids Rise Outlook
Grand Rapids Rise put on a show in Vegas in their last game, sweeping the Thrill at Lee's Family Forum on Sunday and setting a PVF record 18 blocks in a three-match set. The win snapped a five-match losing streak for Grand Rapids.
The Rise were led by outside hitter Erika Pritchard, who was playing out of position at opposite hitter, who topped all scorers with 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks while sporting .267 hitting percentage.
Grand Rapids lead the PVF with 148 total blocks and 2.90 blocks per set, guided by two of the top middles in the league as Ali Bastianelli ranks second in the PVF with 40 total blocks and Marin Grote is 10th with 22.
Mojo-Rise Connections
Mojo setter/libero Sarah Sponcil will face her former Grand Rapids Rise teammates for the third time and the second time in Michigan, while former Mojo middle blocker Ali Bastianelli and setter August Raskie are starters for the Rise.
San Diego middle blockers Ronika Stone (2016-18) and Lauren Page (2015-18) were teammates with Raskie while at Oregon, while Stone and Raskie both helped guide the Mojo to the 2024 PVF Championship semifinals.
Middle blocker Rainelle Jones and outside hitter Jenaisya Moore were teammates last season with Rise libero Valeria León when the trio were with the Columbus Fury.
Jones also played three seasons at Maryland (2018-20) with Rise outside hitter Erika Pritchard.
Outside hitter Kendra Dahlke was a teammate of León at Leonas de Ponce in Puerto Rico during the 2020-21 season.
Rookie outside hitter Maya Tabron played with Rise rookie opposite Naya Shime last season at SMU.
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