Houston holds off Atlanta to win in five
In the second consecutive week, LOVB Houston and LOVB Atlanta – League One Volleyball’s top two teams in the standings – went to five sets. In the second consecutive Friday, Houston came out on top as the home team won 25-23, 25-23, 15-25, 19-25, 15-8 at the Fort Bend County Epicenter.
The win brings second-place Houston (7-5) to within two games of league-leading Atlanta (9-3) in the League One Volleyball standings with four matches left to play in the regular season. Houston also beat Atlanta on March 7, rallying from a two-set deficit to reverse-sweep the league leaders.
After Houston won the first two sets Friday, Atlanta looked primed to return the favor, winning the next two and forcing a fifth set. In that fifth, Houston won four of the first five points and never trailed to pick up their third win over Atlanta in all LOVB competitions this year.
Outside hitter Jess Mruzik led LOVB Houston with 17 points – 15 kills, two blocks – and added 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Opposite Jordan Thompson added 14 points while seven others scored at least once for the home team.
For Atlanta, opposite hitter Danielle Cuttino set a season-high with 24 kills and 27 total points, adding two blocks and an ace to her lofty attack tally. Outside hitter McKenzie Adams added 17 kills, three blocks, an ace and 10 digs, while both Magdalena Jehlárová and Tia Jimerson reached double-digit points.
Houston led Atlanta in just two stat categories: digs (75-66) and positive block touch percentage (.540 to .476). Atlanta earned 15 more points (84-69) and hit nearly 30 percentage points higher than Houston (.215 to .186) while outblocking the home team 18-9 and serving up seven aces compared to Houston’s one.
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