All six League One Volleyball teams have passed the halfway point of their respective 16-match regular seasons. While LOVB Atlanta maintains a three-game lead in the standings, it's evident that pretty much anything can happen and that any team can beat another in the inaugural season.
Week 9 gets underway Thursday when LOVB Salt Lake plays at LOVB Omaha. The 8 p.m. Central first serve gets a national cable audience on ESPNU and ESPN+.
Friday, the action moves to Atlanta where LOVB Atlanta entertains LOVB Houston for a 7:30 p.m. Eastern start that can be seen on LOVB Live, DAZN and the LOVB YouTube channel.
And things wrap up with a doubleheader Saturday with LOVB Madison facing LOVB Houston at 4:30 p.m. Eastern and LOVB Austin at LOVB Atlanta at 7. Both matches can be seen on LOVB Live, the Women's Sports Network via Samsung TV Plus, and YouTube.
We'll examine how all six teams fare at this point, but first the regular-season standings:
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LOVB Atlanta (8-1)
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LOVB Houston (5-4)
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LOVB Austin (4-5)
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LOVB Omaha (4-5)
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LOVB Salt Lake (4-6)
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LOVB Madison (3-7)
LOVB Atlanta
Most observers probably didn't think LOVB Atlanta would reel off eight regular-season victories in a row after losing First Serve. But March 1’s match is a testament to its ability to overcome obstacles and show its resilience: down two sets to none, Atlanta pulled off a reverse sweep against Omaha.
While Olympian outside Kelsey Cook has been the backbone of the team and middle Tia Jimerson is having a tremendous season, others have stepped up. Tessa Grubbs was having her best pro season, but when the opposite went down with an injury, Atlanta has gotten strong performances from, among others: opposite Danielle Cuttino, super sub outside Gia Day and rookie setter Rachel Fairbanks. Against Omaha, middle Magda Jehlarova showed that she's completely healed from an injury with not only 12 kills while hitting .474, but equaling a LOVB-high of nine blocks.
Atlanta's remaining matches are, in order: at home against Houston and Austin; at Houston; vs. Salt Lake in Houston; vs. Austin in Omaha; at Houston; and at Omaha.
LOVB Houston
Houston has been riding a roller coaster. A lot of it appears to be based on health, and when opposite Jordan Thompson and setter Micha Hancock are healthy and on point, Houston is hard to stop. Houston served notice at the LOVB Classic when it won the tournament by beating Madison, Omaha and Atlanta on consecutive days.
Houston got a big early season boost from rookie outside Jess Mruzik, fresh off her NCAA title at Penn State, but continues to get steady – sometimes spectacular – play from middle Amber Igiede and libero Anna Pogany. Depth has been key with strong contributions at different times from opposite Grace Frohling, middle Raphaela Folie, outside Madi Kingdon Rishel and, when Hancock was sidelined, setter Kaisa Alanko.
Houston will have its chances to take the league lead since it plays Atlanta three times. LOVB Houston's remaining matches: at Atlanta; vs. Madison in Atlanta; vs. Atlanta and Austin at home; at Omaha; vs. Atlanta at home; and vs. Madison in Salt Lake.
LOVB Austin
Austin was riding a three-match winning streak before getting swept at Madison last Saturday. This team, composed primarily of Texas exes with championship pedigree, has been led on offense by rookie opposite Madisen Skinner and outside Logan Eggleston. As you would expect, Olympian Chiaka Ogbogu has been a force in the middle, but a few who did not play at Texas have been key, including sparkplug outside Leah Hardeman, steady veteran Olympian setter Carli Lloyd, outside Anna Haak and libero Kotoe Inoue.
LOVB Austin's remaining matches are Atlanta; at Houston; at Omaha; vs. Atlanta in Omaha; at home vs. Omaha; at home vs. Madison; and at Salt Lake.
LOVB Omaha
Omaha is suddenly slumping, but anyone who has seen this talent-laden club knows it can get on a roll in a hurry. As coach Suzie Fritz has pointed out numerous times, Omaha has the best passers in Olympian outside Jordan Larson, Olympian libero Justine Wong-Orantes and rookie defensive specialist Lexi Rodriguez. German opposite Kimberly Drewniok has become an offensive force, and different teammates have had their offensive moments, including outside Jaali Winters, middles Lauren Stivrins and Candelaria Herrera and outside Madi Kubik-Banks.
Omaha has paid its road dues and gets to play at home four more times. If its offense can get rolling, watch out.
LOVB Omaha's remaining matches are at home against Salt Lake; at Madison; at home against Austin; at home against Houston; at Austin; vs. Salt Lake in Austin; and at home against Atlanta.
LOVB Salt Lake
Salt Lake is another team riding a roller coaster. If this team can find consistency on offense, it has as much firepower as anyone. Certainly it has a great setter in Olympian Jordyn Poulter, who has an assortment of pin hitters to feed, including veteran Roni Jones-Perry, youngster Skylar Fields, outsides Dani Drews and Claire Hoffman, and opposite Heidy Casanova. All have had stretches of brilliance this season.
Olympian middle Haleigh Washington, when healthy, is as dominant as ever, and you could make a case for libero Manami Kojima as the league's defensive player of the year.
The schedule seems favorable for Salt Lake as it heads into the regular-season stretch run. LOVB Salt Lake's remaining matches are at Omaha; vs. Atlanta in Houston; at home vs. Madison; vs. Omaha in Austin; and at home against Madison and Austin.
LOVB Madison
Just when you might have written Madison off, it snapped an eight-match overall losing streak with back-to-back victories last weekend. Madison showed in a four-set win over Omaha and then a stunning sweep of Austin that it, indeed, can climb back into the mix.
Olympian setter Lauren Carlini is having a fantastic defensive season yet runs an offense that’s been looking for consistency. But if last weekend is any indication, she's going to get a lot more assists. A big key has been having a healthy Annie Drews Schumacher. When on, the Olympian opposite is a force. Rookie outside Sarah Franklin has been explosive and outside Claire Chaussee is coming off a strong couple of matches and outside Jennifer Janiska has been a great surprise. Middles Anna Hall, Ana Beatriz Correa and Taylor Sandbothe, when healthy and on, stack up with any in that position in the league. Libero Milica Medved has been stellar.
LOVB Madison's schedule is tough with five of six on the road. Its remaining matches are against Houston in Atlanta; at home vs. Omaha; at Salt Lake; at Austin; at Salt Lake, vs. Houston at Salt Lake.
