Rise Earn Fourth Straight Win With Four-Set Triumph In Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 19, 2026.-  Erasing a four-point deficit at 22-18 with a decisive 5-0 run late in the fourth set, the Grand Rapids Rise stormed back Sunday afternoon at Nationwide Arena to avoid yet another five-set marathon against regional rival Columbus Fury.

On the third match point, Rise captain Carli Snyder delivered her team-leading 15th kill to ignite a celebration at center court as Grand Rapids secured a closely-fought victory by scores of 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 27-25. After the previous seven meetings between the franchises all stretched to five sets, this one ended a set earlier — as the Rise collected the full three points in their late-season push toward the MLV playoffs.

Grand Rapids tied the franchise record with its fourth consecutive victory, improving to 11-14 overall and 8-4 in the all-time series against Columbus. The Fury, already eliminated from postseason contention, dropped to 5-19 on the season with their fourth straight loss.

The Rise started fast in all four sets, building early leads of 6-2 in each of the first two, 2-0 in the third, and 4-1 in the fourth. Columbus battled back in the final three sets, but not the first, as Grand Rapids cruised to a 25-18 opening-set win. Three Rise players recorded three or more kills and hit above .400 in the frame: opposite hitter Elizabet Inneh (six kills, .417), middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan (four, .429), and Snyder (three, .429).

Snyder opened the second set with a kill, followed by the first Rise ace of the match. Middle blocker Alyssa Jensen added one of her team-high four blocks to push the lead to 3-0. Columbus responded with a 5-0 run shortly after to reclaim the lead at 7-6.

The Fury then leaned on all-star Raina Terry, who tallied five kills in the frame on her way to a match-high 20, along with two blocks, eight digs, and an ace. Columbus built a four-point cushion at 16-12 going into the media timeout.

The Rise battled back to within one at 18-17, but the Fury answered with a 7-3 run to even the match. Set point was secured on an ace from Columbus setter Audrey Pak.

Rise newcomer Danielle Harbin was brought in for Inneh halfway through the third set, giving Grand Rapids a different look on offense in a tightly contested frame. A timely Snyder kill after a lengthy rally made it 19-17 in favor of the Rise, but the set remained close with ties at 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, and 22-22.

The Rise closed the third set with three straight points in unconventional fashion — a Fury attack error, a diving dig from libero Morgan Hentz that drifted over the net and dropped for a free-ball point, and a block from 5-foot-8 setter Camryn Turner.

Turner highlighted a trio of Rise double-doubles with 46 assists and 10 digs, alongside outside hitters Snyder (15 kills, 11 digs) and Paige Briggs-Romine (12 kills, team-high 17 digs). Hentz chipped in with 15 digs (nine in the final two sets) and five out-of-system assists.

Columbus turned around an early 4-1 Rise lead in the fourth set with a 5-0 run that was finally ended with a setter dump kill from Turner. The teams then traded 4-0 runs, with Grand Rapids responding from 6-10 to tie the set at 10-10 before slipping back behind, 14-10. The Fury maintained a four-point edge at 18-14, 20-16, and 22-18.

Grand Rapids mounted one final surge, scoring five straight points to take a 23-22 lead. The run featured the first two kills of Harbin’s Rise career, consecutive kills from Snyder, and the team’s second and final ace of the match from Briggs-Romine.

The Rise reached match point twice at 24-23 and 25-24 — first on a kill from Alhassan, then a block from Jensen — but Columbus held off both chances. On their third opportunity, Grand Rapids finished it off, with Harbin adding another kill before Snyder sealed the 27-25 victory.

Grand Rapids face Atlanta Vibe on Wednesday,  April 22 while the Fury will travel to Omaha on Friday, April 24 to play the Supernovas.