Dallas Pulse Rally For 3-2 Road Win Over Atlanta Vibe

DULUTH, Georgia, March 1, 2026.- The Dallas PULSE (9-5), North Texas’ women’s professional volleyball team, defeated the Atlanta Vibe (7-6) in five sets (25-21, 27-29, 25-21, 21-25, 15-10) on Sunday afternoon at Gas South Arena.

PULSE outside hitters Sofia Maldonado Diaz and Mimi Colyer paced the PULSE with 21 kills each. Pin hitter Kaylee Cox contributed 10 kills and nine digs, and setter Natalia Valentin-Anderson notched another double-double with 60 assists and 17 digs. Middle blockers Layne Van Buskirk and Kaitlyn Hord registered season highs with 12 and six kills, respectively, with Van Buskirk also adding two aces. Libero Kylie Murr anchored the defense with a season-best 21 digs.

For Atlanta, outside hitter Leah Edmond delivered 22 kills, becoming the first player in Major League Volleyball history to reach 1,000 career kills. Opposite hitter Anna Dixon added 13 kills, while outside hitter Taylor Smith recorded 12. Middle blocker Phoebe Awoleye finished with eight kills.

The match began slowly for the PULSE, who trailed 5-1 early. Dallas settled in and worked back to even the score at 10-10 before a Cox block gave the PULSE their first lead at 11-10. From there, Dallas controlled the frame, building a four-point advantage. Atlanta closed within one at 22-21, but a decisive 3-0 stretch — a Vibe service error, a Payne block, and a Colyer kill assisted by Cox — sealed the 25-21 set win. Colyer paced Dallas with seven kills on 12 swings for a .500 hitting percentage in the opener.

In the second set, Dallas grabbed its first lead at 19-18, but Atlanta answered with a 4-0 run to regain control. The PULSE responded with a 4-2 push to even the score, setting up a back-and-forth finish. After four Dallas set points and a few ties — the last at 27-27 — a Dixon kill followed by an Awoleye block secured the frame and evened the match.

The Vibe got a 3-0 jump to open the third frame, but the PULSE quickly took back the lead. After a few more lead changes, a Dallas service error made it a one-point game, leading 21-20, but a Maldonado Diaz Kill surged a five-0 run to take the set 25-21.

Dallas carried momentum into the fourth set, building a commanding 16-9 advantage. Atlanta answered with a 12-3 run to surge ahead, 21-19. A Cox kill briefly halted the momentum, but Edmond responded with a kill of her own, followed by a Dallas error to extend the Vibe lead. Smith added another kill to bring Atlanta to set point. Van Buskirk kept the PULSE within reach, but Edmond closed the frame, sending the match to a fifth set. 

Dallas established a 7-2 lead to open the fifth and controlled the tempo from there. The Vibe narrowed the margin to 13-10 behind a late push, but the PULSE responded to finish the set, 15-10, sealing the 3-2 win.

The PULSE continue their road trip Saturday, March 7, traveling to Orlando to face the Valkyries at 6 p.m. Atlanta takes to the road for the team’s next match against the San Diego Mojo on Saturday, March 7 at 9 pm ET.