LOVB Championship Match 1 Recap: Salt Lake Takes Opener in Five Sets
The two League One Volleyball finalist squads set the tone for the championship series Thursday night as LOVB Salt Lake opened the Championship Series with a 3-2 win over LOVB Austin in Long Beach, earning a 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 27-25, 16-14 victory.
Austin controlled stretches of the match, taking the first and third sets behind a balanced offensive effort at the net. Madisen Skinner led the way with 17 kills, while Logan Eggleston and Asjia O’Neal added 12 apiece.
But Salt Lake answered each push, staying within striking distance and extending the match with a tight fourth set. After fending off multiple set points to force a fifth, Salt Lake finished strong down the stretch to take the opener.
Heydi Casanova posted a strong offensive performance behind Alexa Gray, recording 18 kills, while Serena Gray hit .476 with 10 kills. Claire Hoffman also finished with 10 kills, and Jordyn Poulter directed the offense while contributing four blocks. Libero Manami Kojima anchored the back row with 19 digs.
Player of the Match: Alexa Gray
Alexa Gray led all players with 24 kills on 58 swings, accounting for more than a third of Salt Lake’s total offense, and added three blocks along the way. She delivered in key moments late in the fourth and fifth sets, as Salt Lake worked through the high-pressure match.
Her 28 total points set a new season high for the Canadian outside hitter, and her 24 kills matched the season high that she set in January.
View this post on Instagram
Next Up
Salt Lake holds a 1-0 series lead and can clinch the title in Match 2.
The series continues Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. CT on USA Network. Austin needs a win to force a golden set to 15 to decide the championship.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
