Week 4 Pro Volleyball Federation Power Rankings & Players of the Week

The hot takes are here... (and probably the bad ones too)

It didn't even take a full month of play before each team within the Pro Volleyball Federation suffered a defeat (some of those overseas leagues could take note on balance). Week 4 provided no less drama and entertainment, particularly among the top teams. There must be something in the water in Grand Rapids...

My player of the week this week is Brooke Nuneviller (Omaha). Nuneviller led Omaha in scoring in each of their three matches this past week, including road wins in Vegas and Grand Rapids. Nuneviller is also one of the league’s best passers and defenders, notching 37 digs last week. Omaha was the only team to survive this past week without a defeat.

Honorable Mention: Emiliya Dimitrova (Grand Rapids), Kaz Brown (Orlando), Leah Edmond (Atlanta), Anna Lazareva (Atlanta), Kendall White (Omaha)

Reagan Cooper from Columbus is my rookie of the week. Cooper has been the brightest spot in a so far rough debut for Columbus, blasting 19 kills (.429) as the main offensive outlet for the Fury.

Honorable Mention: Georgia Murphy (Orlando), Jill Gillen (Orlando), Hannah Maddux (Vegas)

Now to the power rankings…

1. Omaha Supernovas (4-2)

This might be a hot take, but that's what power rankings are for. Omaha went to Vegas and Grand Rapids, snatching two wins, before returning home to beat Orlando. The Supernovas are not perfect (their setting game needs work), but they are the best passing group in the league. Nuneviller, Bethania De La Cruz, and Kendall White have been absolute nails in the backcourt. De La Cruz’s serve may be the best offensive weapon that Omaha has. Hristina Vuchkova’s debut was a welcome change and provided a different look, both offensively and defensively. Omaha will need to improve their offensive efficiency if they are to sustain their momentum.

2. Grand Rapids Rise (3-1)

Grand Rapids is quite unlucky not to be sitting undefeated through the first four weeks (Omaha may have the same claim). They had plenty of chances to take advantage of set points against Omaha... but alas, it is a learning experience. Emiliya Dimitrova came out with an absolute vengeance in Grand Rapids’ second match of the week as she fired off 26 kills, hitting almost .400 against Atlanta. The good news for the Rise is that Dimitrova looked very much like the player who powered her team Casalmaggiore to the Italian League playoffs last year. Marin Grote was also a bright spot, providing a defensive presence at the net with a solid offensive showing. The Rise will look for more setter consistency in week 5, along with a more efficient Claire Chaussee.

3. Atlanta Vibe (4-2)

Atlanta has only lost to one team so far this season, as the Rise has gotten the better of them twice. The Vibe have shown they can be quite inconsistent at times, barely surviving Orlando in five sets at home. A combined effort from Leah Edmond and Leketor Member-Meneh was the heroics in that match. The Vibe were forced to make positional changes in both matches, which is a sign of depth but also a lack of consistency from players like Tori Dilfer. Marlie Monserez has done a very serviceable job in her place. The brightest spot of this week was by far the introduction of Anna Lazareva. Lazareva is easily one of the best players in the league and will help take pressure off Edmond’s shoulders. Lazareva had a strong start in her first match against the Rise but failed to score in the tiebreak. She will look to build a stronger connection with her setters in the coming weeks as the Vibe seek to take advantage on their strengths on the pins.

4. Orlando Valkyries (2-3)

The Valkyries have been quite unlucky. Orlando has had several opportunities to earn big wins against Atlanta but has fallen just short both times. Adora Anae (30 points vs Atlanta) has been an absolute star, as has middle blocker Kaz Brown (who may have words about the all-preseason selections for middle blocker). Orlando never felt super threatening to Omaha, falling in four sets in the absence of Anae. Orlando has all of its pieces; a solid setter, an electric outside hitter duo, strong middle blockers, and a digging libero... but the missing piece is their opposite. Shainah Joseph has not been the offensive spark they need her to be. Melissa Evans and Azhani Tealer both did well in her absence, but Orlando will need more from that position to make their push to the playoffs.

5. Vegas Thrill (2-2)

The Thrill had an up-and-down week. Vegas struggled to receive against Omaha and had offensive issues throughout the night, even though they did manage to snag a set. Coach Fran Flory came out with an interesting tactic of deploying Khat Bell as an outside hitter... which went as well as one would suspect. Alisha Glass, Molly McCage, and Saskia Hippe have all been very good for Vegas, and that showed in their following match against San Diego. Vegas overpowered the Mojo in every facet of the game. Berkeley Oblad provided a nice spark off the bench in the third set for McCage, and Gabby Gonzales settled in and had a much better match compared to Omaha. Vegas needs consistency from their rookies Gonzales, Kylie Murr, and Hannah Maddux, who have all done fairly well so far. Vegas also picked up another option in Kenna Sauer, who could provide a boost to the outside hitter group.

6. Columbus Fury (0-2)

With several weeks off after the first match, I expected Columbus to come out with a lot more fight and a sense of identity. The Fury did just that as they won their first set against Orlando... and then it all reverted back and went downhill from there. The brightest spot for the Fury is how outstanding Reagan Cooper (20 points, 54% attack) was. Cooper carried the Fury throughout the match. The downside is there was not much else to help her as they battled Orlando. Megan Courtney passed brilliantly in her debut but struggled offensively. Angel Perez made some puzzling decisions that limited the Fury’s offense (using Courtney as an OH1 instead of Cooper). The Fury were stuck in rotation one for several points, and Cooper remained a passing target, isolated in zone 5 for that rotation. Along with questionable roster choices (Ivania Ortiz?), the Fury are missing the last couple of pieces to bring the puzzle together. Kaitlyn Hord, Asjia O’Neal, and Jenna Rosenthal form a very solid group of middle blockers. The Fury need more from their opposites (Wenz/Drechsel) as well as their setters (Ray Santos/Gabby Blossom).

7. San Diego Mojo (0-3)

The Mojo are in a class of their own, and not in a good way. They lack any sort of identity and have not been competitive in any match this season. Valeria Papa was a bright spot in her debut, contributing well offensively despite the rest of the Mojo's struggles. Temi Thomas-Ailara did well, given the circumstances as she played both opposite and outside hitter. The Mojo roster has several areas where there is a need for significant improvement. There also needs to be an improvement from a coaching point of view, with a variety of players shifting roles and responsibilities. The Mojo lack definition or a plan. The Mojo will need to shift to something new, perhaps placing more trust into Morgan Lewis.