Rise Rally for 3-1 Win to Upset League-Leading Indy
MLV Grand Rapids Rise

Rise Rally for 3-1 Win to Upset League-Leading Indy

Published on March 25, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Grand Rapids Rise News Release


Grand Rapids Rise react after winning an important point
Grand Rapids Rise react after winning an important point
(Grand Rapids Rise, Credit: Nicolas Carrillo)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Facing the league-leading Indy Ignite, who entered the contest with a 15-3 record for the best start through 18 matches in league history, the Grand Rapids Rise came from behind for a four-set win Wednesday night at Van Andel Arena by set scores of 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17.

Indy had dropped just 20 sets all season prior to the match but surrendered three straight to the Rise, who controlled play behind a balanced offense and disciplined defense. Grand Rapids held the Ignite to a .194 hitting percentage while producing a .286 mark offensively and finishing with a 10-6 edge in blocks.

The Rise offense featured a three-pronged attack led by outside hitter Carli Snyder (14 kills, .355), opposite hitter Elizabet Inneh (14 kills, .353), and 2026 MLV All-Star outside hitter Paige Briggs-Romine (12 kills, .222). Setter Camryn Turner tied her season high with 48 assists while adding seven digs, a kill, and a block.

Inneh sparked the early momentum, recording three kills among the Rise's first four points as Grand Rapids jumped ahead 4-1. Fast starts became a theme, with the Rise building early advantages of 7-3 in the second set, 10-3 in the third, and 10-2 in the fourth.

The opening set remained tight up to 15-15 before Indy used a decisive 5-0 run to seize control. An ace from Cara Cresse, a block by Azhani Tealer, and a Rise service error sealed the frame, 25-19. Indy outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh totaled four of her eight kills in the set.

The 1-0 deficit presented a significant challenge for Grand Rapids, which entered the night 6-26 all-time when dropping the opening set (4-8 at home).

The Rise responded immediately in the second. Multiple blocks from Snyder and aggressive short serving by Briggs-Romine disrupted Indy's rhythm, as the Rise built an 11-5 advantage. The Ignite rallied to even the score at 21-21, and the teams remained tied at 23-23 before Inneh delivered her 10th kill of the match. An ensuing Indy attack error - confirmed after a video review showed no Rise block touch - closed the set and evened the match at one set apiece.

Playing without All-Star middle blocker Lydia Martyn, Indy also made a lineup adjustment entering the third set, rotating All-Star setter Mia Tuaniga out in favor of Ainise Havili.

In the third frame, the Rise carried a 10-3 lead to 16-10 by the second media timeout before Indy trimmed the margin to three, 17-14. Briggs-Romine answered with an off-speed kill down the line to push the lead back to five, 21-16, and forced an Ignite timeout. Snyder followed with her team-leading 13th ace of the season and later finished the set with a kill, giving Grand Rapids a 2-1 match lead. The Rise hit a match-best .469 in the third set.

The Rise momentum carried into the fourth. An ace from Inneh and another from Briggs-Romine helped Grand Rapids establish an 8-2 advantage by the first media timeout. The Rise offense stayed efficient throughout the frame, with four players recording multiple kills and hitting above .350 - three eclipsing .600. Indy's offense stalled to a .133 hitting percentage while managing just 12 digs and two blocks defensively as Grand Rapids closed out the victory.

A match-point kill by middle blocker Alyssa Jensen secured the seventh Rise victory of the season. Jensen finished with six kills on a .385 hitting percentage and four blocks, helping Grand Rapids record at least two blocks in every set.

Jensen's four blocks increased her team-leading total to 39 on the season. Having only played five sets and recording no blocks through the team's first seven matches, Jensen is now tied for the third-most blocks in the league, while her 0.93 blocks per set leads the MLV.

Notes

The Ignite have now lost two of their last three matches following an eight-match winning streak. The Mojo, Omaha Supernovas (twice), and Rise remain the only teams to defeat Indy this season.

Rise All-Star libero Morgan Hentz led the team with 19 digs, accounting for 35.2% of Grand Rapids' 54 total digs.

Middle blocker Berkeley Oblad made her fourth consecutive start, finishing with eight kills (.200), two blocks, and two digs.

Grand Rapids improved to 2-1 at home against Indy in franchise history.

Photo Gallery

Highlights

Postmatch Interviews

GR 19 25 25 25 - 3

IND 25 23 19 17 - 1

Team Leaders

GR: Kills - Elizabet Inneh 14, Carli Snyder 14, Paige Briggs-Romine 12; Assists - Camryn Turner 48, Morgan Hentz 3; Aces - Inneh 2, Snyder 1, Briggs-Romine 1; Blocks - Alyssa Jensen 4, Snyder 3, Berkeley Oblad 2; Digs - Hentz 19, Briggs-Romine 9, Inneh 8, Snyder 8.

IND: Kills - Taylor Landfair 11, Azhani Tealer 11, Leketor Member-Meneh 8; Assists - Ainise Havili 35, Mia Tuaniga 8, Elena Scott 2; Aces - Cara Cresse 2, Landfair 1, Tealer 1, Tuaniga 1; Blocks - Cresse 3; Digs - Scott 14, Havili 11, Member-Meneh 7.

A - 2,860

Record / Next Match

AdventHealth MLV All-Star Match / Sat., March 28 at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Noon

Grand Rapids: 7-12 / Fri., April 3 vs. Dallas Pulse, 7 p.m.

Indy: 15-4 / Sat., April 4 at Omaha Supernovas, 4 p.m. EDT

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Images from this story

Grand Rapids Rise react after winning an important point
Grand Rapids Rise react after winning an important point
(Nicolas Carrillo)		   



Major League Volleyball Stories from March 25, 2026


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