Salt Lake City, Utah - April 4, 2026 - In their final time taking the court together for the 2026 season, LOVB Madison came out swinging with a beautifully balanced offense but ultimately saw their year come to a close in a hard-fought 3-1 loss to a playoff-hungry LOVB Salt Lake squad (20-25, 25–23, 25–18, 25-20).
“We showed some really high flashes, and we had some down moments that we just couldn't quite fight through,” started head coach Matt Fuerbringer, “But super proud of the group. I had a great time coaching them. I’m excited for the future of LOVB Madison in this league and just super thankful for the opportunity to coach them.”
Eager to end things on a high note, Madison controlled the early tempo and fended off a late Salt Lake push to comfortably take the opening set 25-20. However, the momentum began to shift in a tightly contested second set where both teams traded punches. Salt Lake managed to capitalize on a rotation of fresh bench players who hadn't seen much court time all season, reaching the red zone first to narrowly edge out Madison 25-23. The third set then slipped away from Madison in a hurry as Salt Lake built a commanding lead; despite finding a breath of life and a solid groove during a gritty 3-point run at 21-12, the early deficit proved too steep to overcome in a 25-18 drop.
Heading into the fourth, Salt Lake knew a victory was their direct path to the postseason, and they played with desperation to match, halting Madison’s offense one final time to secure a 25-20 win. While it wasn't the finale fans would have hoped for, Madison showed undeniable heart and flashes of brilliance right up to the final whistle of the season.
Anna Hall found her groove in the season's final match, leading the team with 14 points that included 10 kills, three blocks and one ace. She was followed closely by Temi Thomas-Ailara and Gong Xiangyu, who each contributed 13 points apiece.
“It’s a special group of women. Going to practice every day, watching the joy they play with. Every match we had high moments in and so I’ll always remember those and the friendships that I made with my staff, with the people in the league, and with my players,” ended head coach Matt Fuerbringer.
Stay tuned for what’s to come in season three.
