In their first ever playoff berth, the Orlando Valkyries are headed to the championship, defeating the Atlanta Vibe in four sets, by set scores of 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, and 25-16. Hunger, grit and determination propelled the Valkyries past the Vibe, marking it the second match of the night where the underdog took home a victory.
To beat a team like the Vibe, the Valkyries knew they needed to set the tone early and often. Kaz Brown, who set a new career high with seven blocks, got three of them in the first set, showcasing her swagger and letting everyone know just how dominant she can be. «Everyone talks about my hitting, but I believe in my blocking ability and wanted to show everyone just how special it is for me,» Kaz Brown stated in the press conference post-match.
A couple of other highlighted players were Brittany Abercrombie, who tallied 22 kills, and the unsung heroes of the team, the two liberos: Shannon Scully and Emmy Klika. They combined for 13 digs, laying it all on the line to cover as much ground as possible. «Shoutout to the liberos, they played their hearts out and I’m so proud of Shannon for the journey she’s been through,» Amy Pauly stated. «When we went through the changes we did throughout the season, Shannon jumped right in and even dug some balls tonight that I have never seen before and I’m so proud.» An entire team effort that showed up when it needed to the most.
Despite dropping the third set 18-25, the Valkyries weathered the storm and picked it up in the fourth to a throttling 25-16 win. From a team that has gone through the highest of high’s and the lowest of low’s, their resiliency showed up when it mattered most.
On Sunday, the Valkyries will play the Indy Ignite, as the Ignite upset the number one seeded Omaha Supernovas in a five-set thriller. Orlando and Indy will compete for a chance to win a grand prize of one million dollars to the winner of Sunday’s match, with the first serve set for 4:00 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.