Week 5 Preview – Intuit Dome Transforms into a Beach July 11-12
Undefeated top seed L.A. Launch (4-0) returns to the court to face their fiercest challenger yet – the red-hot Palm Beach Passion (6-2). Over eight matches across two nights, the stakes are high: can Launch keep their perfect record, or will Passion take control of the leaderboard?
Top Storylines
- Seven Olympians, one roof. Dalhausser farewell tour meets 2024 silver medalists Brandie and Mel.
- Perfect vs Proven. Launch are unbeaten but have to play the #2 ranked Passion; Saturday decides control of the standings.
- Stat monsters. Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes hit an astounding .660 last outing — one of the best pair efficiency of the season: Kraft four-ace run and Cannon four-block wall headline Launch counter punch.
- Newberry Introduction. UCLA alum Devon Newberry steps in for Smash to replace injured Rodriguez
Current Standings Snapshot
🥇 L.A. Launch 4-0 (10 pts) — 2nd of 4 events
🥈 Palm Beach Passion 6-2 (17 pts) — 3rd of 4 events
🏅 Brooklyn Blaze 6-6 (19 pts)
🏅 Austin Aces 4-4 (11 pts)
🏅 Dallas Dream 5-7 (17 pts)
🏅 San Diego Smash 3-5 (9 pts)
🏅 New York Nitro 3-5 (8 pts)
🏅 Miami Mayhem 1-3 (5 pts)
Broadcast Schedule (Pacific Time)
Friday July 11:
6 pm Women – LAUNCH vs SMASH (AVP YouTube Channel)
7 pm Women – PASSION vs MAYHEM (CBS Sports)
8 pm Men – PASSION vs MAYHEM (CBS Sports)
9 pm Men – LAUNCH vs SMASH (AVP YouTube Channel)
Saturday July 12:
5 pm Women – PASSION vs LAUNCH (CW)
6 pm Men – PASSION vs LAUNCH (CW)
7 pm Women – MAYHEM vs SMASH (AVP YouTube Channel)
8 pm Men – MAYHEM vs SMASH (AVP YouTube Channel)
Recent Head-to-Head Numbers
Earlier this season, every rematch went the distance—four matches, four three-set thrillers. Week 2 in San Diego: LA Launch Hagen Smith and Logan Weber survived the Smash 13-15, 16-14, 18-16, while Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft out-lasted Urango/Van Winkle 15-9, 21-23, 15-11. Week 3 in Miami: Palm Beach Passion Phil Dalhausser and Trevor Crabb flipped a 13-15 opener into 15-13, 15-10 over Mayhem, and Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes rallied past Cheng/Shaw 18-20, 15-11, 15-10.
- Hagen Smith (.368, 5 aces) and Logan Weber (.308, 4 blocks) edged Budinger/Evans by +2 pts.
- Phil Dalhausser (.647, 2 aces, 2 blocks) and Trevor Crabb (.478) iced Schalk/Shaw by +5 pts.
- Megan Kraft (.423, 4 aces, 21 Digs) and Terese Cannon (.455, 1 ace, 4 blocks) beat Urango/Van Winkle by +8 pts.
- Brandie Wilkerson (.739, 2 aces, 4 blocks) and Melissa Humana-Paredes (.593) beat Cheng/Shaw by +7 pts.
Takeaway: Passion women own the efficiency crown (.666), LA Launch Men and Women ace and block combo, and Dalhausser still hits like it 2008.
Friday — July 11
Palm Beach Passion vs Miami Mayhem
Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes vs Cheng/M. Shaw
Dalhausser/T. Crabb vs Schalk/J. Shaw
L.A. Launch vs San Diego Smash
Cannon/Kraft vs Urango/Newberry (rookie debut)
Smith/Weber vs Budinger/Evans
Saturday — July 12
#1 Passion vs #2 Launch
Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes vs Cannon/Kraft
Dalhausser/T. Crabb vs Smith/Weber
Miami Mayhem vs San Diego Smash
Cheng/M. Shaw vs Urango/Newberry
Schalk/J. Shaw vs Budinger/Evans
Get in the Building
Intuit Dome, 3930 W Century Blvd, Inglewood.
Doors Open: Fri 5 pm, Sat 4 pm.
Grab seats at AVP.com/tickets
Credit: avp.com
