HOUSTON, Texas — February 11, 20026 — LOVB Houston kept its win streak alive Wednesday night, sweeping LOVB Nebraska 25-21, 25-17, 25-14 for its fifth straight win.
Match Stats
Houston weathered an early push from Nebraska in the opening set, trailing through the first 14 points before flipping the momentum midway through. Once the home team took the lead, it never looked back. Outside hitter Jess Mruzik powered the offense with seven points in the frame, while middle blocker Amber Igiede, outside hitter Madi Rishel and opposite hitter Jordan Thompson added balance to secure the 25-21 finish.
The second set belonged to Houston from the start. A 13-6 run created separation early, and Mruzik stayed hot with another seven-point performance. Thompson slammed the door with a late kill, sending Houston into the break in full control.
Set three was all Houston. A mid-set advantage reflected the team’s rhythm on both sides of the ball, as Nebraska struggled to find answers against Houston’s offensive pressure. Thompson continued to stack points, and the home team closed out the sweep in decisive fashion, 25-14.
“The fun part about our growth is the process,” head coach Sanja Tomašević explained. “The players have bought into what we are trying to build on. This result is not a coincidence, everything we're doing in practice, during scouting, and before games. I love that there's a return for the players.”
Thompson led all scorers with 18 kills to go along with 7 digs and an assist. Mruzik followed with 14 kills, one ace, two blocks and four digs. Rishel contributed eight kills, one ace and one block in a balanced team effort, while Igiede added eight points.
With the win, Houston extends its win streak to five and continues to build momentum heading into the 2026 LOVB Classic in Kansas City, Missouri. The team will face LOVB Madison on Sunday, February 15, at 4:30 p.m. Central with the match streaming on ESPN+.
