Jamaican outside hitter Aiko Jones played a key role once again as the surging Atlanta Vibe completed a season-series sweep over the Columbus Fury on Sunday in front of an energetic home crowd at the Georgia State University Convocation Center.
The Vibe extended their winning streak to eight matches, moving to 14-8 on the season in Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) play. In contrast, the struggling Fury dropped to 5-13, having also lost in straight sets to Atlanta on March 23 in Columbus.
Jones, the former University of Louisville standout, contributed five kills and two service aces in Sunday’s 3-0 sweep. Known for her steady presence on both sides of the ball, Jones continued to provide vital production from the opposite hitter position as the Vibe tightened their grip on playoff positioning.
The Vibe’s all-around dominance was evident throughout the match as they outclassed Columbus in nearly every statistical category. Atlanta led in blocks (10-7), digs (55-39), assists (36-25) and service aces (7-2), asserting control from the opening serve to the final point.
Middle blocker McKenna Vicini paced the Vibe with 10 kills and an impressive .600 hitting efficiency, her highest of the season. Leah Edmond and Pia Timmer added eight and seven kills, respectively, while both also delivered two service aces each alongside Jones.
Adding an extra spark off the bench, newly acquired outside hitter Micaya White made her debut in the third set and wasted no time making an impression, hitting .714 in limited touches.
Defensively, libero Morgan Hentz was once again outstanding, collecting 16 digs to lead all players. Hentz remains the league leader in total digs with 397 on the season, averaging 4.51 digs per set.
The Vibe had previously swept the Fury in their last meeting on March 23, winning 25-19, 25-15, 25-20 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. In that match, Columbus struggled to find their rhythm offensively, hitting just .119 as a team.
Atlanta will now turn their attention to their next challenge on the road, facing the San Diego Mojo on Tuesday, April 8 at Viejas Arena.
Photos: Atlanta Vibe Facebook