Florida Showdown Closes Out AVP Miami Competition

The final day of the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour in Miami showcased an exhilarating clash between Florida teams at Sephora Arena on Saturday evening. The competition, part of Week 3 of the tour, featured intense matchups between the Palm Beach Passion and Miami Mayhem, captivating local fans.

“I think everybody’s just cheering for good volleyball,” said Kelly Cheng, the 2023 World Champion representing the Mayhem. “I feel like everybody’s so into it and so happy to be here, which we love and we feel, so that’s been amazing.” The night began with the women’s teams eager to bounce back from their previous night’s defeats, with Cheng and Megan Kraft facing off against Brandie Wilkerson and her new partner Devanne Sours, who made her AVP debut after Melissa Humana-Paredes’ injury.

The first set was tightly contested, with both teams making no errors at the net. Sours excelled offensively, scoring six of her team's eleven points, while Miami managed to secure an early lead, finishing the set 15-11. The Mayhem continued their strong performance in the second set, winning decisively 15-7, thanks in part to Kraft’s serving and Cheng’s impressive net play, which included a match-high 13 kills.

Later in the evening, the Dallas Dream faced the Austin Aces in both men's and women's matches, starting with a showdown between the men's teams. The Aces’ Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox faced off against Dallas' Paul Lotman and Miles Partain, who turned the game around after a slow start to win 15-12. They maintained their momentum in the second set, finishing strong with a 15-11 victory.

The women's match saw Dallas’ Kylie Deberg and Betsi Flint take on Austin’s Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss Cruz, with the duo from Austin overcoming their opponents with a 15-10 win in both sets. Brasher led the offense with 14 kills, while Cruz contributed significantly on defense with a match-high 14 digs.

The night culminated in a family rivalry, as the Crabb brothers faced each other on the court. The defending champions, Trevor Crabb and Olympic Gold Medalist Phil Dalhausser, played against Taylor Crabb and Olympian Andy Benesh from Miami. In a tightly contested match, the Passion won both sets 15-12, showcasing their teamwork with each player recording eight kills without any errors. “Whenever we play against each other, we both play better,” Trevor remarked about his brother.

The AVP league will continue its season in Las Vegas for Week 4, starting this Friday.