HOUSTON, Texas – January 8, 2026 — LOVB Houston opened the season in front of a full crowd and high expectations at the Berry Center but ultimately fell short, dropping a straight-set decision to LOVB Salt Lake, 27-25, 25-19, 25-20.
Match Stats
The match began with a tightly contested first set. Houston stayed aggressive from the opening serve, applying pressure and forcing long rallies while keeping Salt Lake on its heels. The hosts briefly gained momentum late in the set, but Salt Lake executed efficiently down the stretch to escape 27-25.
From there, Salt Lake found its rhythm and began to separate itself. Houston struggled to maintain consistency, particularly in transition, while Salt Lake’s efficiency on offense and at the net proved decisive.
Salt Lake head coach Tamari Miyashiro praised Houston’s grit to make each set close despite their best efforts to build a sizable lead.
“It’s always fun to play Houston across the net,” Miyashiro said. “There’s always going to be so many battles between our teams. We’ll take this one tonight.”
Opposite hitter Jordan Thompson led the home team with 17 kills, two blocks, and two digs. Jess Mruzik and Madi Rishel both scored seven points apiece, and Rishel made 12 digs to bolster LOVB Houston’s defense.
Following the match — her first as head coach of LOVB Houston —Sanja Tomašević emphasized the importance of details moving forward. “We just need to clean up the little things,” Tomašević said. “There were a few easy plays on our side that we could have handled and that would have given us a chance to attack, and we weren’t able to do that.”
Despite the loss, there were bright spots for Houston. Rookie opposite hitter Logan Lednicky made her professional debut after coming off the bench in the first set. The Houston-area native made an immediate impact, recording a block on the first point of her professional career and helping force a 23-23 tie late in the opening frame.
“We’re going to get to see her come in and make an impact,” Tomašević said of Lednicky. “She did that tonight. She made an impact every time she came onto the court. You couldn't tell she was a rookie in the pro game.”
Houston will regroup and look to win on the road against LOVB Nebraska this Sunday, January 11, at 3 p.m. Central. That match will be broadcast on ESPN+. Salt Lake will look to carry its momentum into the weekend as it continues its road trip against LOVB Madison on Saturday, January 10.
