ATLANTA, Georgia — January 14, 2026 — Behind a dominant offensive performance from outside hitter Tessa Grubbs and timely blocking at the net, LOVB Atlanta defeated LOVB Austin in four sets 25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 25-23 on Friday night at OTE Arena.
In the first set, Atlanta used blocking and service pressure to erase an early Austin lead , tying the set at 15-15 before closing strong. Atlanta’s Tia Jimerson sealed the first set with a stuff block to give the home team a 25-22 edge.
The second set followed a similar script with Austin testing its depth and leaning on the athleticism of outside hitter Leah Hardeman, who kept LOVB Austin close early. Atlanta, however, capitalized on late Austin errors and leaned on Grubbs to pull away, closing the frame 25-19 for a two-set lead.
Austin showed resilience in the third set. Logan Eggleston returned to the outside and delivered a timely offense while middle blocker Asjia O’Neal continued her clinic at the net. With the score tied at 20-20, Austin benefitted from three Atlanta errors and closed the set with points from Juliann Faucette and Magdalena Jurzcyk to take the set 25-22.
The fourth set featured tight volleyball throughout with neither team able to create separation. O’Neal, who impacted the match all night, delivered several key kills to keep Austin level late. After trading points at 19-19 and 20-20, Atlanta regained control in the closing stretch. Rookie outside hitter Eva Hudson delivered the final blow, terminating the match with a clutch swing to seal the fourth set, 25-23.
“I'm not real happy with the level that we played at for periods of time, but I'm real happy with the fact that we were in it towards the end and that we were continuing to fight,” said Austin head coach Erik Sullivan. “I think that's something that we can take with us."
Grubbs led the way for Atlanta, finishing with a match-high 26 points while hitting .306, including 21 kills from both the front and back row. For Austin, O’Neal scored 14 points while hitting an efficient .579.
LOVB Austin continues its road stretch with a matchup against LOVB Madison next Wednesday, January 21, on USA Network.
