Recap: Newcomers Shine for Team Hentz in Season-Opening Victory

HOW IT HAPPENED

After falling behind by a 25-21 margin in the opening set, Team Hentz narrowed the match gap to a single point with its 25-22 triumph in the middle frame before claiming the match win with a 25-20 verdict in the final set.

MATCH NOTES

• Thursday’s season opener marked the first-ever meeting between Hentz and Valentin-Anderson as opposing captains.

• Hentz, who improved to 8-5 all-time as a captain with Thursday’s victory, ended a four-match losing streak as a team leader … Valentin-Anderson, meanwhile, has dropped her last six outings as a team captain and owns a 5-8 career mark in the captain’s seat.

• Valentin-Anderson notched the 20th double-double of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball career, extending her league record … She ranked second in the league last year with eight double-double performances.

• Valentin-Anderson has tallied 20 or more assists in all 31 matches of her AU Pro Volleyball career … She also surpassed 30 assists for the 26th time in her career, the most in league history.

• Hentz registered the 29th double-digit dig performance of her Athletes Unlimited career, the second-highest total in league history behind libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto (37) … The two-time reigning AU Pro Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year authored 10 or more digs in a league-best 14-of-15 contests last season.

• Hentz also tallied 15 or more digs for the 16th time in her career, extending her league record.

• Hentz surpassed 20 digs for the fourth time in her AU Pro Volleyball career, remaining the only player in league history with multiple career matches with 20 or more digs … It is the 11th time a player has tallied 20 or more digs in a match in the league’s four-year history.

MATCH MVPS

• #1 – Khat Bell (Team Hentz, +60)
• #2 – Madi Kingdon Rishel (Team Valentin-Anderson, +40)
• #3 – Marlie Monserez (Team Hentz, +20)