Team Thompson celebrates after a point.

10 Must-Watch Rallies from the 2025 AU Pro Volleyball Championship

© Athletes Unlimited, LLC 2025 / Credit: Jade Hewitt Media
Siera Jones
Nov 06, 2025
Volleyball,Story

You can’t have great rallies without great defense, and luckily for Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball fans, the defenders taking the court during this fall’s AU Pro Volleyball Championship brought their A-games to Madison and Omaha. From diving saves, clutch block coverage, and of course, the point-winning kills, here are some of the top rallies from all four weeks of competition. 

Team De La Cruz vs. Team Abercrombie: Week One

Team De La Cruz and Team Abercrombie set the tone early in the set with an incredible rally in Week One. The play was highlighted by two straight impressive saves by Brittany Abercrombie and Brooke Nuneviller, who kept the rally alive long enough for Alexa Gray to slam the door with the kill. 

Team Thompson vs. Team Hoffman: Week Two

With the match on the line, Team Thompson seemingly refused to let the ball drop in this Week Two play, but Team Hoffman kept at it and eventually won the point with a little help from the tape of the net redirecting the back row attack by captain Claire Hoffman.

Team Thompson vs. Team Hentz: Week Two

This rally between Team Thompson and Team Hentz in Week Two featured intimidating blockers on both sides of the net, but in the end, it was Team Thompson that managed to cover its hitters before Alexa Gray powered one through the hands of the blockers in front of her. 

Team Hoffman vs. Team Hentz: Week Two

A middle running onto the court to play defense after serving can sometimes be seen as a weak link. Still, Annayka Legros broke that stereotype in this matchup between Team Hoffman and Team Hentz in Week Two, and proved that middles can really do it all with a dig, before showing off her hands with an assist to help end the rally. 

Team Thompson vs. Team Valentin-Anderson: Week Two

Manami Kojima really was everywhere in this rally between Team Thompson and Team Valentin-Anderson in Week Two. She was picking up tips, covering her hitters at all costs…you name it. And it paid off once Madi Kingdon Rishel put an end to the back-and-forth exchange with the back row kill. 

Team Cooper vs. Team McCage: Week Three

Endurance and phenomenal defense on both sides kept it alive for this play between Team Cooper and Team McCage in Week Three, which lasted a full minute for one of the longest rallies of the fall. Team Cooper went on to win the set 25-20 and narrowly took the match 62-65.

Team Thompson vs. Team McCage: Week Three

Starting with an overpass, this Week Three rally between Team Thompson and Team McCage looked like it would be over before it even started, but Team McCage somehow managed to defend the response from Jordan Thompson and turn it into a 40-second-long play that ended in a point for purple.

Team Drews vs. Team Thompson: Week Four

Natália Zilio Pereira put in the work on this play between Team Drews and Team Thompson in Week Four, launching attack after attack and then following it up with impressive net defense before shutting down eventual champion Jordan Thompson with a big-time block in set 3. 

Team Drews vs. Team Hentz: Week Four

Team Drew’s defense was on full display in Week Four, and this play was no exception. The blue squad had a response for every ball Team Hentz sent their way, and libero Piyanut Panoy turned on the jets to chase down a ball before captain Dani Drews added an exclamation point with the kill from the right side. 

Team Cooper vs. Team Thompson: Week Four

This final showdown between Team Cooper and Team Thompson in Week Four featured crazy saves on both sides of the net, and the pickup by Justine Wong-Orantes and Natalia Valentin-Anderson sending a back set to Jordan Thompson from her knees had the crowd going wild. In the end, Madi Kingdon Rishel secured the point for Team Thompson by blasting a kill off the block. 

 

Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.

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