Recap: Team Abercrombie Sweeps Its Way to 75-56 Triumph Over Team Kingdon Rishel

The win elevated Team Abercrombie’s Week Five record to 2-0, while Team Kingdon Rishel dropped to 1-1.

Libero Morgan Hentz guided Team Abercrombie to the victory with 15 digs and two assists to claim MVP 1 distinction and 329 leaderboard points. Opposite Brittany Abercrombie, meanwhile, followed with MVP 2 accolades and 421 leaderboard points after nailing down a match-high 14 kills with 13 digs and a season-high three solo blocks.

Setter Madi Bugg completed the Match MVP sweep by securing MVP 3 honors following a 28-assist, 11-dig performance.

Outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel paced her team in the loss with 12 kills and eight digs, while opposite Willow Johnson chipped in seven kills with 10 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Team Abercrombie used a strong defensive effort with six blocks in the first set to build a 25-16 match advantage. The squad upped its cushion to 50-39 by securing a 25-23 victory in the middle frame. Abercrombie erupted for eight kills in the final set to clinch the match sweep with a 25-17 triumph.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

The clean sweep rocketed Abercrombie to a 506-point lead over outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía heading into Monday night’s season finale between Team Abercrombie and Team De La Cruz-Mejía. Hentz, meanwhile, rose into third place in the league standings with 3,180 points, but holds a slim 61-point edge over Kingdon Rishel.

MATCH NOTES

• Kingdon Rishel and Abercrombie squared off as opposing captains for the first time in their Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball careers.

• Team Abercrombie fashioned the league’s 11th win points sweep this season, setting a new single-season record … Seven of the last eight matches have resulted in a win points sweep, including all four matches to begin Week Five.

• Abercrombie has piloted her teams to four of the league’s 11 win point sweeps this season.

• Abercrombie upped her league-leading match record to 13-1 this season, including a 10-1 mark as a team captain … She becomes the fifth player in any Athletes Unlimited sport to win 13 games/matches in a single season … Catchers Jordan Roberts and Gwen Svekis, corner infielder Jessi Warren and pitcher Cat Osterman authored 13-2 records during the 2020 AU Pro Softball Championship Season.

• Abercrombie has tallied 300 or more leaderboard points nine times this season, which leads the league and is tied for the second-highest total in league history … Outside hitter Jordan Larson owns the league record after accruing 300 or more points in 10 matches during the 2021 season.

• Abercrombie also reached the 400-point mark for the first time this season, becoming the 15th player in league history to do so.

• Abercrombie earned Match MVP honors for the 11th time this season, including the fourth consecutive match … Her 11 Match MVP awards stand as the third-highest single-season total in league history.

• Bugg has authored a double-double in four consecutive matches.

• Bugg has garnered Match MVP plaudits in three of her last four fixtures.

• Hentz has tallied 10 or more digs in 29 of her last 30 matches, including all 14 outings this season … She is the only player in the league to amass at least 10 digs in every match this season.

• Hentz received the 17th Match MVP award of her AU Pro Volleyball career, moving into a tie for second place on the league’s all-time list with outside hitter Leah Edmond.

• Kingdon Rishel ran her streak of consecutive double-digit kill performances to seven in a row.

• Setter Sydney Hilley collected the sixth double-double of her Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball career, including the third instance this season, after finishing with 28 assists and 15 digs.

• Johnson recorded her third double-digit dig effort of the campaign.

• Abercrombie has finished with 10 or more kills in all 14 matches this season, remaining the only player in the league to accomplish that feat … Abercrombie also posted her sixth double-double of the campaign.

• Team Kingdon Rishel matched an Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball single-match record with its 28 attack errors on Sunday night.

MATCH MVPS

• #1 – Morgan Hentz (Team Abercrombie, +60)
• #2 – Brittany Abercrombie (Team Abercrombie, +40)
• #3 – Madi Bugg (Team Abercrombie, +20)