Volleyball League Heats Up in Austin

The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) returned to Austin for Week 7 of its new league format, which features eight city-based franchises competing in a national tour. On Friday night, the New York Nitro, LA Launch, Miami Mayhem, and hometown Austin Aces faced off in a series of intense matches.

The evening’s most dramatic contest saw the Miami Mayhem’s Kelly Cheng and Molly Shaw pull off an upset victory against the Austin Aces’ Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss. The Aces duo had a 2-0 all-time series lead against Cheng and Shaw, including a semifinal win earlier this AVP season. However, Cheng and Shaw battled back to win in a thrilling three-set match, 15-12, 10-15, 15-10.

In the first women’s matchup of the night, the LA Launch’s Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft took down the New York Nitro’s Corinne Quiggle and Megan J Rice in straight sets, 15-11 and 15-9. This marked the first time these two teams had faced each other.

On the men’s side, the Miami Mayhem’s Chaim Schalk and James Shaw dominated the Austin Aces’ Avery Drost and Wyatt Harrison, winning 15-7 and 15-12. In the final match of the night, the New York Nitro’s Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander continued their dominance over the LA Launch’s Hagen Smith and Logan Webber, securing a 15-7, 15-12 victory and extending their all-time series lead to 4-0.

Following the night’s play, the LA Launch holds second place in the league standings, while the New York Nitro and Austin Aces are tied for fifth. The Miami Mayhem currently sits in eighth place.