March 1, 2025
SAN DIEGO- Coming off a win against the Grand Rapids Rise, the Mojo (5-8) continued their upswing with a home victory on Saturday night against the Columbus Fury (4-9), 20-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-22.
The Mojo carried the momentum from their previous win at Viejas against the Grand Rapids Rise in Saturday’s match. The Mojo dominated Columbus after dropping the opening set.
Middle blocker Ronika Stone discussed the chemistry with setter Da-yeong Lee during the first set. “I think we started off slow, trying to find it, and (Lee) knew what she had to fix,” said Stone. “ I knew what I had to do and then we just kept saying, we trust each other, and so let's just go.” Stone also earned a season-high 12 kills.
The momentum shifted after the first set with the players beginning to feed off each other which allowed them to gel for the following sets. The Mojo easily won the second set, 25-16.
Middle Blocker Regan Pittman was an absolute beast during this match, racking up 18 points that included seven blocks, more than any player in the game. “[It] means a lot when you're able to play your game and you know that your teammates have your back and that they're giving their 100%,” said Pittman.
In the third set, communication flowed through the team as did their cohesive movement on the court. The Mojo made only two errors in the third set with them conquering once again, 25-15.
Outside hitter Kendra Dahlke and libero Shara Venegas were digging for gold: Venegas had 15 digs and Dahlke led the team with 17. Outside hitter Elise McGhee also had a big night with 11 kills.
The fourth and final set brought an edge-of-seat competition that felt like a tennis match with the back-and-forth scoring from each team. The teams were tied at 8-8 with Stone serving. The serves landed like a dime, leading to a 3-0 Mojo run to get to 11-8. The battle remained intense with the Mojo still up 19-18. A balanced attack at the end of the set included one kill each by Stone and Dahlke, and two kills each by Pittman and McGhee, including McGhee’s kill for set and match point, 25-22.
With this win, the Mojo continue to bring the heat and build confidence, as they prepare for a rematch against the Grand Rapids Rise.
Next Up
San Diego will face the Grand Rapids Rise once again, this time traveling to Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, March 5 at 4:00 pm PST. The game will stream on The Roku Channel.
