AUSTIN, Texas – March 6, 2026 – LOVB Austin fell to LOVB Houston 25-22, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Friday night.
“Disappointed that we lost. Happy with the way that the match finished.” said Austin head coach Erik Sullivan. “Kudos to Houston…I am happy with our resilience, now we get to take a shot at them again in a few days.”
Austin opened the scoring in the first set as the teams traded points early in a tight back-and-forth battle. Midway through the frame, Houston created separation and built a small lead. Austin attempted to mount a late comeback, but Houston held firm down the stretch to take the opening set, 25–22.
Houston jumped out to an early four-point lead in the second set, but Austin responded quickly, tying it 4–4 off back-to-back kills from Logan Eggleston. The teams traded points throughout the frame, with strong net play from Madisen Skinner, Eggleston, and Carli Lloyd. Despite Austin’s efforts, Houston maintained control and took the set, 25–14.
The third set was a much tighter battle with the teams trading points throughout the frame. After a series of exchanged kills in a late nailbiter, Austin pulled ahead down the stretch to take the set, 25–22. Madisen Skinner led the frame with five kills.
The fourth and final set was a back-and-forth battle with the teams staying neck and neck through much of the frame. Houston pulled ahead late to take the set, 25–22, and secure the match over Austin.
“I talked to the team after the match…We shot ourselves in the foot, we just have to be assertive. Losing sucks but that is a really good team,” said middle Molly McCage. “We are still in the mix, and we still have that belief in each other.”
Austin finished the night with 63 points on 53 kills while hitting .227 as a team. Skinner led the team with 19 points, recording 19 kills and adding five digs. Eggleston followed with 13 points on 10 kills and two aces while contributing six digs and a block. Molly McCage added eight points with six kills and two blocks, while Asjia O’Neal contributed seven points on five kills and two blocks. Madi Banks chipped in six kills and six digs. Setter Brie O’Reilly directed the offense with 24 assists and added 13 digs and a block. Defensively, Austin totaled eight blocks and 57 digs in the four-set match.
With the loss, Austin falls to 7-7 on the season and sits in fourth place in the league standings. They’re 1.5 games ahead of LOVB Nebraska for the fourth and final postseason berth.
Austin once again takes on their in-state foes on Wednesday, March 11 at Houston’s Berry Center. The 7 p.m. Central match will be broadcast nationwide on USA Network.
