Rise Enter Final Two-Match Homestand with Playoff Hopes Alive
MLV Grand Rapids Rise

Rise Enter Final Two-Match Homestand with Playoff Hopes Alive

Published on April 20, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Grand Rapids Rise News Release


This Week's Matches

RISE (11-14) vs. Atlanta Vibe (9-15) // Wed., April 22 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

Watch: Scripps Sports Network and MLV YouTube Channel at 7 p.m.

Listen: 96.1 The Game at 6:45 p.m.

Season Series: 2-1 Overall, 1-0 Home. Fourth of four meetings overall, second of two at Van Andel Arena

All-Time Regular Season Series: 5-6 Overall, 2-3 Home

Noteworthy: The Rise are on a four-match winning streak, tied for the longest in team history. Atlanta has been swept in each of its last three matches against Omaha, San Diego, and Indy, and must win to remain in playoff contention. The Vibe opened the season series with a home sweep on Jan. 11 but have dropped the last two meetings, with the Rise earning a 3-0 win on Feb. 14 and a 3-1 road victory on March 13.

RISE vs. Orlando Valkyries (10-14) // Sat., April 25 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

Watch: Samsung TV Plus and MLV YouTube Channel at 7 p.m.

Listen: 96.1 The Game at 6:45 p.m.

Season Series: 1-2 Overall, 0-1 Home. Fourth of four meetings overall, second of two at Van Andel Arena

All-Time Regular Season Series: 4-7 Overall, 2-3 Home

Noteworthy: Grand Rapids and Orlando last met March 1, when the Rise snapped a two-match skid against the Valkyries with a 3-1 victory. The three meetings this season have all been decided in different set lengths - an Orlando sweep on Jan. 29, the four-set Rise win, and a five-set Valkyries victory in Grand Rapids' season opener on Jan. 9. Orlando enters on a three-match losing streak, including consecutive sweeps against Omaha and San Diego. The Valkyries host league-leading Indy Ignite on Thursday, April 23, before traveling to Grand Rapids, with two losses eliminating them from playoff contention.

Rising Up: The Rise have tied the franchise record with four straight victories over the past two weeks. The last time Grand Rapids won four consecutive matches was from Jan. 19 through Feb. 2 last season, when the team rebounded after a 0-3 start. The Rise have also won five of their last seven matches to move up to fifth place in the MLV standings and are in the playoff hunt despite having started the season 3-9.

Hentzville Never Sleeps: Rise libero Morgan Hentz is on pace to appear in a league-record 30 regular-season matches in 2026. Hentz played 202 sets across her first two MLV seasons with the Atlanta Vibe and now leads all players in league history with 310 career sets played. She currently sits at 108 sets this season with three regular-season matches remaining.

The Rise single-season record for sets played is held by Carli Snyder (111 in 2025), while Indy's Elena Scott owns the MLV single-season record after appearing in 116 sets last year. Hentz also leads the MLV with 415 total digs this year - 249 with Grand Rapids and 166 with Omaha prior to the trade - averaging 3.84 digs per set. That mark would establish a new Rise single-season record.

Playoffs?! We Are Talkin' About Playoffs: What felt like wishful thinking a little over a month ago has quickly turned into an opportunity, as the Rise sit just outside the playoff picture with three matches left. While Grand Rapids doesn't control its own destiny, there are two distinct paths that would send the Rise to the postseason for the second time in franchise history.

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Major League Volleyball Stories from April 20, 2026


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