Vibe Find Their Rhythm in Statement Sweep Over Orlando

The Atlanta Vibe didn’t just win Thursday night — they controlled it.

Atlanta delivered a clean, confident 3–0 sweep over the Orlando Valkyries at home, leaning on a dominant offensive showing from outside hitter Leah Edmond and opposite hitter Aiko Jones. From the opening serve to the final point, the Vibe looked locked in, playing with a level of rhythm and aggression that’s been building all season.

Head coach Kayla Banwarth called it as close to a “flow state” as the team has reached — and it showed. Atlanta hit an efficient .368 as a group, with Edmond and Jones combining for 31 kills.

“It’s nice to see that come together tonight and it’s nice to see the things that we’re working on in practice translate to matches,” Banwarth said. “I challenged them to be aggressive tonight and I thought that they nailed that.”

Atlanta set the tone early, taking the first set 25–22 behind a balanced attack and strong presence at the net. Edmond and Jones led the charge with 10 combined kills and three blocks, establishing the Vibe’s physicality right away.

The second set is where things really opened up. Atlanta found another gear, rolling to a 25–16 win with 13 more combined kills from the duo. The offense was in sync, the defense was disciplined, and the energy inside the arena matched the moment.

By the third set, the Vibe were firmly in control. They closed out the sweep 25–20, with outside hitter Taylor Smith putting her stamp on the match with eight kills in the final frame.

Behind it all was setter Averi Carlson, who orchestrated the offense with precision. The rookie finished with a double-double — 46 assists and 13 digs — marking her eighth match this season with 40 or more assists. Every touch felt intentional, putting hitters in position to succeed all night long.

Edmond led the way with 17 kills and a double-double of her own, adding 10 digs, three aces, and two blocks. She continues to be a steady force for Atlanta, now tallying 11 matches this season with 15 or more kills.

“I think for us, it was just being calm and having an aggression in every aspect of the game,” Edmond said. “We were going after it in situations where we might have been a little more timid the first time we played them.”

Jones matched that intensity, finishing with 14 kills and another double-double — 12 digs, four blocks, and an ace — continuing her strong stretch of play. Smith added to the all-around effort with 11 kills and 11 digs, giving Atlanta four players in double-double territory on the night.

The win marks Atlanta’s second sweep of the season and one of its most complete performances to date.

Still, the message inside the locker room remains forward-focused.

“What got us here doesn’t keep us here,” Jones said. “It feels great, but we have to keep doing the small things — the details, the scout — all of that is what goes into the win.”

With momentum building, the Vibe now turn their attention to the road, set to face the Dallas Pulse on Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m. ET — carrying with them a performance that felt like everything finally clicking at once.