Recap: Team Hentz bounces back in Set 2, defeats Team Rosenthal 73-60

She quickly handed Team Rosenthal its second match loss in Week Three by taking the final two sets en route to a 73-60 match triumph.

Hentz, who collected MVP 3 recognition, finished with 10 digs while collecting 211 leaderboard points in her eighth straight win to open the season.

Middle blocker Molly McCage played a pivotal role in Team Hentz’s success on Sunday night, closing with nine kills and just one attack error on 17 attempts. The former Texas standout garnered Match MVP honors for the third consecutive match after an MVP 1 selection, giving her 290 leaderboard points.

Outside hitter Alli Linnehan, who fashioned 299 leaderboard points, completed the MVP trio with the MVP 2 commendation after registering 11 kills and six digs.

Outside hitter Claire Chaussee tallied a match-high 14 kills in the loss for Team Rosenthal, while outside hitter Aury Cruz chipped in six kills with a career-high 16 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Led by eight kills from Chaussee, Team Rosenthal secured the early match lead with a 25-23 victory in the opening set. But, Team Hentz answered in the middle frame with a 25-15 verdict to take the overall match advantage at 48-40. Hentz’s squad completed the comeback with a 25-20 triumph in the final set.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Hentz reclaimed the overall lead in the league standings after her 211-point performance on Sunday. Meanwhile, Linnehan surged into fourth place on the leaderboard, but stands just seven points ahead of Chaussee.

MATCH NOTES

• Team Hentz and Team Rosenthal combined to post five service aces in Sunday’s opener, driving the league’s season total to 84 service aces through 15 matches … Aspiration is committed to planting 10 trees for every service ace as part of its ‘Aspiration Aces’ initiative.

• Hentz remains the only player to win all of her matches this season, improving to 8-0 overall and 5-0 as a captain … Hentz also improved her set record to 21-3 through eight matches.

• Hentz has authored 10 or more digs in 19 consecutive matches following her 10-dig performance against Team Rosenthal on Sunday … She has notched 22 double-digit dig efforts in 23 career Athletes Unlimited matches.

• McCage, who has nine or more kills in five straight contests, became the fourth player in league history to play 100 career sets, joining libero Nomaris Vélez Agosto, outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz and middle blocker Ali Bastianelli on the exclusive list.

• Setter Nootsara Tomkom registered the 12th double-double of her Athletes Unlimited career, including her third this season, after compiling 26 assists with 12 digs.

• Cruz has collected 10 or more digs in 13 career Athletes Unlimited matches.

• Chaussee has 10 or more kills in five consecutive matches after closing play with her 14 kills for Team Rosenthal … Chaussee has posted double-digit kills in 6-of-8 outings this season.

• Vélez Agosto has posted 10 or more digs in nine of her last 10 matches dating back to last season, including the last seven in a row.

• Opposite Génesis Collazo matched her season high with 10 digs in the win for Team Hentz.

• Setter Nicole Edelman-Cagliari equaled her season high with 10 assists, including nine in the third set.

MATCH MVPS

• #1 – Molly McCage (Team Hentz, +60)
• #2 – Alli Linnehan (Team Hentz, +40)
• #3 – Morgan Hentz (Team Hentz, +20)