SAN DIEGO — In a match that encapsulated everything the San Diego Mojo are capable of – spectacular highs, tense finishes, and hard-fought defensive points – the Mojo fell to the Dallas Pulse 3-2 (26-24, 20-25, 12-25, 25-21, 15-11) before an electric crowd at SDSU's Viejas Arena on Friday night.
It was the kind of loss that stings precisely because the Mojo had the Pulse in their grasp.
San Diego, riding a three-match winning streak coming in, owned the middle sets of the match. They pushed Dallas to the brink in the first set, raced to a commanding lead in the second, and dominated the third. Then, just as a signature victory appeared within reach, the Pulse surged to claim sets four and five.
"I think that's two really strong teams battling it out," said head coach Alisha Childress. "I thought we had really good moments tonight. … It would have been nice to win it, … but I really appreciated the way that the team fought."
Grace Loberg with the kill. Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
Set by Set
The match opened with set one serving as a microcosm of the entire night. The Mojo (13-12) fell behind by as many as four points,13-9, but clawed back, reaching a set point at 24-23 on the strength of four kills and a block by Marin Grote. Dallas (19-7), led by rookie phenom Mimi Colyer with nine first-set kills, refused to fold. The Pulse converted to take the set 26-24.
The Mojo responded with two emphatic sets. In set two, Maya Tabron was electric, rattling off four consecutive kills during a 5-0 Mojo run to build an 11-8 lead. San Diego eventually went up 21-15 before Dallas made a brief charge, but the Mojo held firm to win 25-20. The offensive load was well distributed, with four players contributing at least one kill.
Set three was even more commanding. An 8-0 run put San Diego up 15-6, and the Mojo won five of the next six rallies to lead 20-9 before closing out 25-12. Six different players found the kill column, with Tabron and Grace Loberg each contributing five.
Then the Pulse answered.
A 7-1 Dallas run swung the momentum in set four, putting the Pulse up 19-13, and San Diego could not recover, falling 25-21. The drama was compounded mid-set when libero Shara Venegas went down after a spectacular save that kept a point alive near the net. She received trainer attention but returned to the floor, a moment that illustrated both the stakes and the grit on display.
Colyer continued to haunt the Mojo all evening, adding six more kills in the fourth set.
In the decisive fifth set, San Diego led 11-10 before Dallas rattled off five unanswered points to claim the set and the match 15-11.
Colyer and the Art of Cat and Mouse
Colyer finished with 31 total points, the match's dominant individual performer. Childress was candid in her assessment of the challenge she poses.
"She's really talented, and I think it's a game of cat and mouse," the coach said. "You take one thing, she hits another, you take the other thing, she hits the other thing. That's the beauty and art of the game. … She was sending big swings, that’s pretty impressive. … But I also think that means we were doing a nice job on everyone else."
Indeed, the Mojo's defensive attention to Dallas's other attackers ultimately concentrated the Pulse's offense through Colyer, a tactical concession that Childress viewed as a relative success on the team's part.
The Numbers Tell an Interesting Story
Despite the loss, the Mojo won more total points (106) than the Pulse (98) across all five sets, an unusual footnote in the match
"That's the beauty in it, that we can walk away knowing that we battled," Childress said.
Grote led the team in blocks with three and was a physical force at the net throughout with 13 kills and 13 digs for her first double-double of the season. "We have it," Grote said of the team's defensive commitment. "We're locked into what we need to do. We missed a few plays here and there, but when it matters most, we always are in the right spots and we’ll get it next time."
Kayla Caffey, starting for the first time since early in the season, was steady and brought a physical presence at the net. Tabron finished with 22 kills and continued to anchor the attack, while Loberg notched 16 kills across the match. Morgan Lewis added 8 kills with two aces from the service line.
Marlie Monserez ran the offense efficiently, with 52 assists and leadership that sets up teammates for success.
Bright Spots Off the Bench
Tabron singled out teammate Mary Kate Georgiades, who saw time off the bench. "I love that Kate got some time," Tabron said. "She brings confidence in the back row."
The player appearances underscored Childress's commitment to using her full roster, a depth that could pay dividends as the season intensifies.
Playoff Stakes and the Road Ahead
With three matches remaining, the Mojo's playoff destiny remains firmly in their own hands. Two wins will lock up a postseason berth. A victory Friday at Viejas would have provided crucial breathing room. Instead, the chase continues.
"Every one of them is an opportunity to get better," Childress said. "Our mission this whole year is being better, match in and match out. … This team just continues to get better … and that makes it really fun to do my job."
San Diego returns to action Sunday against Columbus before coming home for their final home game of the regular season next Thursday. The crowd Friday night, loud, invested, and energized through all five sets, offered a glimpse of what the Mojo have built in San Diego.
"We absolutely love playing here," Childress said. "It's energy-giving when you hear everything get loud as the rally continues. … We hope everybody continues to come out."
Notable
Friday's match at Viejas Arena carried a special personal touch for the franchise. San Diego Mojo owner Gary Jacobs celebrated his birthday courtside, while his wife Jerri-Ann Jacobs Jacobs performed the national anthem as part of the orchestra before the match.
Mojo owner Gary Jacobs celebrated his birthday at the match. Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
Jerri-Ann Jacobs played the National Anthem before the game as part of the orchestra. Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
Next up: Sunday, away vs. Columbus Fury; Thursday home finale at Viejas Arena.
Top photo: Maya Tabron saves the point for the Mojo. Miguel Mejia/Miguel Mejia Photography
