Guedpard, Luper Return to Starting Lineup as Valkyries Take Down Dallas in Four
MLV Orlando Valkyries

Guedpard, Luper Return to Starting Lineup as Valkyries Take Down Dallas in Four

Published on February 27, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Orlando Valkyries News Release


DALLAS, TX - After missing Chompoo Guedpard for the majority of February, the Valkyries welcomed her back to the starting lineup Friday night, as the reigning 2025 Major League Volleyball champions are starting to get healthier at the right time, defeating the Dallas Pulse in four sets 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20).

"She means so much to this organization," head coach Amy Pauly speaking on behalf of Chompoo Guedpard. "The way she just carries herself, I mean coming back from not playing since the beginning of the month, and running the offense without missing a step speaks volumes to the type of player and teammate she is. This was a big win for us, but we've got a short turnaround and need to flip the page ahead of Sunday against a really tough Grand Rapids team."

Dallas, who entered the match fresh off a 3-0 sweep of Grand Rapids and holding an 8-4 record entering tonight, has been the biggest story in Major League Volleyball, racing out to an impressive start in their inaugural season. Led by their number one overall pick in Mimi Colyer, Dallas has been a force offensively, leading the league in efficiency at .275.

Facing a tall task against the league's leading offense, the Valkyries were happy to have Chompoo Guedpard and Charitie Luper back in the starting lineup together for the first time since January 31. That duo alone provided an offensive spark the Valkyries had desperately been searching for the entire month of February. Chompoo's leadership and expertise helped get the entire offense back into a rhythm, with four Valkyries finishing with ten or more kills (Naya Shime with 17, Charitie Luper with 15, Courtney Schwan and Natalie Foster each with 11). Not only was the offense humming, but the defense picked it up as well, holding Dallas to hit .233 as a team, their second lowest efficiency of the season.

One of the Valkyries biggest moments that set the tone early, was from second year pro Natalie Foster, who got the start in place of Bre Kelley. Trailing 18-23 late in the opening set, Foster stepped to the service line and sparked a stunning turnaround. Behind her league-best serve, Orlando would rattle off seven straight points to complete a remarkable comeback and win the opening set 25-23. Foster's aggressive service pressure would overwhelm Dallas, forcing them to play out of system as she added two more aces to her league-leading total of 27.

Despite being out blocked by Dallas 14-5, Orlando's adjustments, led by Chompoo Guedpard, allowed them to find a solution. Guedpard's quick sets to Natalie Foster up the middle created one-on-one advantages that Orlando continued to exploit throughout the night, as Foster set a season-high 11 kills.

Following a quick trip to Dallas, the Valkyries return home to start a three-match homestand at Addition Financial Arena. First up is Grand Rapids at 3 p.m. ET Sunday for the Fun in the Sun-themed match. Tickets are available at OrlandoValkyries.com.

Notes:

Dallas out-blocked Orlando 14-5

Naya Shime led Orlando with 17 kills, a new career-high

After missing the past four matches, Chompoo Guedpard returned to the starting lineup, putting up 57 assists

Four Valkyries recorded 10 or more kills (Shime, Luper, Schwan, Foster)

Next Match: Orlando Valkyries (7-6) vs Grand Rapids Rise (3-9) | Sunday, March 1, 3:00 p.m. ET

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Major League Volleyball Stories from February 27, 2026


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