Salt Lake Capitalizes on Shorthanded Houston for Sweep
Written by: Mai'Ghen Storm, SFL Staff Writer
In a decisive victory, LOVB Salt Lake swept a depleted LOVB Houston team 25-17, 25-21, 25-21 at the Fort Bend County Epicenter on Thursday. The win came as Houston, previously the league's hottest team, played without key offensive player Jordan Thompson and other notable absences.
Roni Jones-Perry led Salt Lake's charge with 12 kills, hitting an impressive .407, and was particularly dominant in the third set with five kills. "I'm really proud of our team's fight and the way we stayed the course," Jones-Perry said, highlighting her near-flawless performance. Heidy Casanova contributed 11 kills and 11 digs, while Claire Hoffman, stepping into a starting role, added nine kills and eight digs.
Salt Lake (4-6) demonstrated strong teamwork, hitting .274 and dominating at the net with a 12-4 advantage in blocks. Haleigh Washington and Tori Dixon anchored the defense with key blocks, while setter Jordyn Poulter orchestrated the offense with 36 assists. Libero Manami Kojima provided stellar defense with 13 digs.
"This was a fun match for us," said Salt Lake coach Tama Miyashiro, praising her team's consistency and blocking. "We just have to keep building."
Houston (5-4), struggling without Thompson, Grace Frohling, and Raphaela Folie, hit a meager .096. Amber Igiede was a bright spot with nine kills and three blocks, but the offense lacked cohesion. Jess Mruzik and Karin Palgutova filled in, but Houston's usually potent attack was muted. Setter Micha Hancock had limited assists, reflecting the team's offensive struggles.
"I think today they gave us a good lesson," Houston coach Massimo Barbolini acknowledged. "They played better than us."
Salt Lake controlled the first set and rallied in the second, closing with a four-point run sparked by key plays from Dixon, Casanova, and Hoffman. In the third, Houston briefly took a 21-19 lead, but Salt Lake responded with a decisive 6-0 run, featuring strong blocks from Dixon and kills from Jones-Perry. Miyashiro's decision to forgo timeouts in the third set underscored her trust in the team's resilience.
"I know my group values the ability to reset and sometimes breaking that rhythm is often more hurtful," Myashiro said. " It just shows a lot of trust in the group and they really like that."
Looking ahead, LOVB Madison will host LOVB Omaha on Friday at 7 p.m. Central, with coverage on LOVB Live, the Women's Sports Network via Samsung TV Plus, and YouTube. Saturday's doubleheader in Madison features LOVB Atlanta against Omaha and LOVB Austin against Madison, also available on the same platforms.
Post a Comment