Supernovas and Valkyries meet in PVF’s Match of the Week

With just three matches, all of them taking place on Saturday, the 13^th week of the 2025 Pro Volleyball Federation season will be brief, but intense.

Among the three duels that will be held during the day in the American League, the one between league leaders Omaha Supernovas and fourth-placed Orlando Valkyries, scheduled for 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT), stands out for reuniting two teams that fight at the top of the standings.

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With six victories collected in their last seven matches, the Supernovas are clear at the top of the standings with 14 wins and five losses and will continue there regardless of what happens on Saturday at the CHI Health Center.

The team, however, has been dealing with strong pressure from the Atlanta Vibe, who won their last eight matches and moved up to second place, with 14 wins and eight losses. With their opponents off this weekend, the Supernovas have a good opportunity to create some breathing room up top.

The Supernovas’ leading scorer in the 2025 season with 262 points, outside hitter Brooke Nuneviller has been a big part of the team’s successful campaign. Against the Valkyries, the team from Nebraska will also count on the league’s top blocker, middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord, who got 62 stops so far, and Colombian libero Camila Gómez, who ranks third in digs with 272, to continue in great form. Puerto Rican setter Natalia Valentín-Anderson, the most recent winner of the league’s Player of the Week award, is another key player for the defending champions.

“Our serving has been very important,” Valentín-Anderson said. “We practice every single day, and that has set us up for success. At this level, it’s the little things that will help you to win and achieve the team goals. I think we can give even more and we want to continue growing.”

For the Valkyries, Saturday’s match represents a big opportunity to start a reaction after the team’s difficult run of form. With four losses in their last five matches, the team from Florida dropped from second to fourth place and, although still safely inside the qualification zone for the playoffs with 12 wins and eight losses, could use a few consecutive victories.

“This is a very competitive team, and they attack every moment that they get,” head coach Amy Paul said about the team’s current form. “I don’t think the sense of urgency changes because they go out to win every game, just like they have from the beginning.”

Their difficult moment made the team announce a few signings over the last week, adding outside hitter Kira Thomsen to their active roster and liberos Elli McKissock and Emmy Klika to their practice squad.

Thai star setter Pornpun Guedpard is the second player with the most assists (805) in the Pro Volleyball Federation and has been among Orlando’s standouts alongside Puerto Rican opposite Brittany Abercrombie, the tournament’s second-best scorer (371), and middle blocker Natalie Forster, who leads the league in aces (43).

The Valkyries have been somewhat of a thorn on the Supernovas’ side this season as they were the only team to beat the defending champions twice, getting a pair of sweeps back in February. The team from Omaha triumphed in the most recent encounter, however, in March.

Ignite visit the Fury

Also involved in the fight at the top of the standings, the third-placed Indy Ignite, who have 12 wins and eight losses, will be on the road on Saturday, facing the Columbus Fury and Thai legendary setter Nootsara Tomkom at 19:00 local time (23:00 GMT), in Ohio. The Fury are at the bottom of the standings with five wins and 15 losses.

The third and last match of the weekend will have the Grand Rapids Rise, who are sixth with eight wins and 12 losses, hosting the Vegas Thrill, who are fifth with eight wins and 11 losses, also at 19:00 local time (23:00 GTM), in Michigan.

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