ATLANTA, Ga. – February 22, 2026 - LOVB Austin opened the match in dominant fashion Sunday afternoon but could not sustain the momentum, falling to LOVB Atlanta in four sets (13-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-23) in their fourth meeting of the season.
Austin controlled the opening frame from the service line, applying heavy pressure that kept Atlanta out of system for much of the set. Atlanta managed just 32 percent in-system passing and hit in the negatives during the first set as Austin’s aggressive serving disrupted offensive rhythm. Back in the lineup after missing two matches, Asjia O'Neal made an immediate presence at the net with one block and two more positive touches. Madi Banks added four points in the set as Austin cruised to a 25-13 win.
Set two shifted into a more competitive battle. Austin built a 15-9 advantage behind steady passing that allowed Brie O'Reilly to distribute the offense effectively, including strong connections with Molly McCage in the middle. Atlanta responded with a late run, capitalizing on a key right-side swing from former Austin player Carly DeHoog and a stretch of strong serving that flipped the momentum. A 7-0 run gave Atlanta set point, and despite a late kill from Khat Bell, Atlanta closed the frame 25-22 to even the match.
Atlanta carried that momentum into the third set, using aggressive swings from DeHoog and McKenzie Adams to create separation early. Austin worked to regain offensive rhythm, but Atlanta dictated tempo at the net and limited extended runs. A late Austin attack error sealed the 25-15 set win as Atlanta took a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set featured a back-and-forth battle with 11 ties and multiple momentum swings. The teams were even at 18-18 before Atlanta used a timely ace and a block from Adams to create a narrow edge. Austin responded with a late ace to cut the deficit to 24-23 and force a timeout, but Atlanta answered with a decisive outside swing to close the set 25-23 and secure the match.
LOVB Austin returns home Wednesday night, February 25 at 7 p.m. Central at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park for College Night as they take on league-leading LOVB Salt Lake. Match details and tickets can be found at LOVBatx.com.
