Luper's Career Night Propels Orlando over Columbus
MLV Orlando Valkyries

Luper's Career Night Propels Orlando over Columbus

Published on January 31, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Orlando Valkyries News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Orlando Valkyries, reigning 2025 Major League Volleyball champions, battled through another five-set test Saturday night, outlasting the Columbus Fury 3-2 (25-19, 16-25, 25-13, 21-25, 15-11) to close out the road trip 2-0.

Playing their second match in three days, Orlando entered the night focused on building momentum ahead of a pivotal two-week stretch of the season beginning next week. Coming off a season-high .358 hitting efficiency just two nights earlier in Grand Rapids, the Valkyries' offense showed flashes of that same elite execution throughout the match.

When Orlando found its rhythm, it was difficult to slow down. The Valkyries hit .371 in set one and.400 in set three, consistently keeping Columbus' defense off balance. In the opening set, Charitie Luper, Brittany Abercrombie and Natalie Foster each recorded more than four kills, as they looked to set the tone early on.

Set three, however, belonged almost entirely to Luper, who delivered a dominant performance with nine kills on 13 swings, accounting for the majority of Orlando's offense and standing as the only Valkyrie with more than three kills in the set. Luper would also finish the match with a career-high 24 kills.

While Orlando's offensive ceiling was clear, the match was defined by the Valkyries' ability to navigate adversity through tough stretches. In sets two and four, inconsistencies crept in, allowing Columbus to stay afloat and ultimately push the match to a fifth set. Orlando totaled 12 attack errors across those two sets, double the total from sets one and three combined.

Serve-receive followed a similar pattern. Orlando opened the match with a 60% passing percentage in set one, but that number dipped to 48% in set two. The Valkyries responded with their cleanest stretch of the night in set three, posting a 71% passing rate, before slipping again to 52% in set four.

Heading into the decisive fifth set, Orlando was focused on one thing: finishing the job. After recently surrendering a 2-0 lead in a reverse-sweep loss to Dallas last week, the Valkyries knew they had another chance to get it back. Determined not to let another opportunity slip away, the Valkyries approached the final set with urgency.

Looking to set the tone early, Orlando jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the race to 15, immediately applying pressure. After some missed opportunities, Columbus clawed back to tie the set at 10-10, but the Valkyries responded when it mattered most. Brittany Abercrombie broke the tie, and Natalie Foster extended the lead with her sixth service ace of the match, tying a league record for service aces in a five-set contest. Orlando never looked back, closing out the set 15-11.

"It's not easy to win in this league and it's especially not easy to take two on the road in a span of three days," head coach Amy Pauly stated. "These girls work so hard day in and day out and it shows in moments like tonight."

The match marked Orlando's fourth five-set contest of the season, already nearing the total number of five-set matches they played all of last year at six.

Post-match stats can be found here.

Notes:

Charitie Luper set a new career-high with 24 kills

Natalie Foster finished with six service aces, marking it a career-high in a five set match with six service aces

Five Valkyries (Luper, Abercrombie, Schwan, Guedpard, Pusic) all recorded double-digit digs

Columbus out-blocked Orlando 14-11

Columbus led Orlando in digs 77-74

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Major League Volleyball Stories from January 31, 2026


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