<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4VDoyY_0wDYxJEA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4VDoyY_0wDYxJEA00" width="828" height="622" ></figure><p>MESA, Arizona — The duo of outside hitter <b>Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía</b> and opposite <b>Khat Bell</b> combined for 29 kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía downed Team Member-Meneh, 72-64, to start Week Three of Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action on Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds.</p><p>Team De La Cruz-Mejía begins the week at 1-0, while Team Member-Meneh falls to 0-1.</p><p>De La Cruz-Mejía amassed a match-high 17 kills with a service ace and eight digs to claim MVP 1 honors and 356 leaderboard points, while libero <b>Manami Kojima</b> added 20 digs for MVP 2 plaudits and 300 points.</p><p>Outside hitter <b>Leketor Member-Meneh</b> set a season high with 16 kills and chipped in 10 digs to earn MVP accolades and 183 leaderboard points in the defeat.</p><p>Bell tallied 12 kills with seven digs and a pair of solo blocks for Team De La Cruz-Mejía, while setter <b>Natalia Valentin-Anderson</b> finished with 35 assists and 16 digs in the victory.</p><p>Outside hitter <b>Madi Kingdon Rishel</b> recorded nine kills and nine digs in the loss for Team Member-Meneh and setter <b>Marlie Monserez</b> added 30 assists with a team-high 15 digs.</p><h2>HOW IT HAPPENED</h2><p>Team De La Cruz-Mejía took the opening set by a 25-18 count before Team Member-Meneh trimmed the match deficit to 47-43 with a 25-22 score in the second frame. Team De la Cruz-Mejía secured the match victory with a 25-21 triumph in the final set.</p><h2>LEADERBOARD IMPACT</h2><p>De La Cruz-Mejía returns to the top spot on the leaderboard with 2,277 points, while Kojima and Valentin-Anderson each moved up one spot into fourth and fifth places with 1,611 points and 1,522 points, respectively.</p><h2>MATCH NOTES</h2><ul><li>Member-Meneh and De La Cruz-Mejía faced each other as opposing captains for the first time in their Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball careers.</li><li>Member-Meneh, the 25th player in AU Pro Volleyball history to serve as a team captain, made her debut as a team leader on Friday night.</li><li>De La Cruz-Mejía moved her AU Pro Volleyball career captain’s record to 25-12 … She is the second player in all Athletes Unlimited sports to reach 25 victories as a team leader … Attacker <b>Sam Apuzzo</b>, the 2024 AU Pro Lacrosse champion, is the all-time leader with 27 wins as a captain.</li><li>Teams wearing the Orange jersey have won five straight matches after Team Abercrombie went 3-0 in Week two, while teams donning the Blue top have now lost their last six contests.</li><li>Outside hitter <b>Paige Briggs-Romine</b> suffered the first loss of her Athletes Unlimited career after opening the season at 6-0 … Opposite <b>Brittany Abercrombie</b> is the only remaining player in the league with a perfect match record this season.</li><li>Monserez lost her sixth straight contest after being on the winning side in the league’s first match day of the season.</li><li>Valentin-Anderson posted her seventh double-double of the season, which tops the league … It marked her 26th career AU Pro Volleyball double-double, extending her all-time lead.</li><li>Member-Meneh surpassed 15 kills for the first time in her AU Pro Volleyball career with her season-high 16 kills … She also posted her second double-double of the season.</li><li>Bell finished with double-digit kills for the fifth time this season, including the fourth outing in a row.</li><li>Kojima is the second player to record 20 or more digs in a single match this season, joining <b>Morgan Hentz</b> (October 11 vs. Team Caffey) … She is the ninth player in league history to achieve the mark.</li><li>Libero <b>Nomaris Vélez Agosto</b> secured her 42nd match with 10 or more digs to increase her existing league record.</li><li>De La Cruz-Mejía became the first player in the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball season to reach 100 kills … She is the league’s all-time leader in the category with 694 kills.</li><li>De La Cruz-Mejía surpassed 15 kills for a league-record 23rd time in her AU Pro Volleyball career, including her fourth instance this season.</li><li>Monserez piloted her second double-double performance of the season … She also finished with 15 or more digs for the first time this season.</li><li>De La Cruz-Mejía claimed her 33rd career Match MVP award, including the 17th MVP 1 certificate … Both marks stand as league records.</li><li>Kojima earned the first Match MVP honor of her AU Pro Volleyball career … She is the 69th different player in league history to receive a Match MVP award.</li></ul><h2>MATCH MVPS</h2><ul><li>#1 – Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía (Team De La Cruz-Mejía, +60)</li><li>#2 – Manami Kojima (Team De La Cruz-Mejía, +40)</li><li>#3 – Leketor Member-Meneh (Team Member-Meneh, +20)</li></ul></div></body>

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Recap: Team De La Cruz-Mejía Opens Week Three with 72-64 Victory Over Team Member-Meneh

MESA, Arizona — The duo of outside hitter Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía and opposite Khat Bell combined for 29 kills as Team De La Cruz-Mejía downed Team Member-Meneh, 72-64, to start Week Three of Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball action on Friday night at Arizona Athletic Grounds. Team...