By Michael Adams
Texas Volleyball Journal
HOUSTON — Jordan Thompson delivered another dominant performance Wednesday night, powering LOVB Houston to a 3-1 victory over LOVB Austin and completing a regular-season sweep of the defending league champions.
Houston won 25-21, 20-25, 30-28, 25-13 to improve to 10-5 and maintain first place in the LOVB standings, while Austin fell to 7-8 but remained in fourth place with five matches left in the regular season.
Thompson finished with a match-high 32 kills on 54% hitting, repeatedly breaking through Austin’s defense in key moments. Her production was especially crucial in the third set, when Houston survived a tight battle and edged Austin 30-28 to take control of the match.
“Volleyball is a team sport,” Thompson said. “It’s so important to have amazing teammates who just don’t let up. We fight together the entire time. You have to rely on each other, and it’s so powerful when you get to be a part of something that’s bigger than yourself and that you can’t accomplish on your own.”
Houston’s win extended its dominance in the rivalry. The victory gave Houston a 4-0 sweep of the regular-season series and improved its all-time record against Austin to 7-1.
Austin showed resilience early. After dropping the opening set 25-21, the visitors responded in the second set behind Madisen Skinner and Madi Banks. Austin’s offense clicked late in the set as the team pulled away for a 25-20 win to even the match.
The turning point came in the third set.
Both teams traded points throughout a tense frame that featured 12 ties and several late rallies. Austin briefly grabbed momentum with strong attacking from Skinner and Asjia O’Neal, but Houston leaned on Thompson late, and the league’s leading attacker delivered several decisive swings to secure the 30-28 win.
Houston then dominated the fourth set.
The home team raced to a 16-7 lead and never looked back, closing the match with a commanding 25-13 win as Austin struggled to slow Houston’s attack.
“They’re the best team in the league right now,” Austin head coach Erik Sullivan said. “Jordan presents some problems. They kept the pressure on us. We responded to it at times and didn’t respond to it at other times.
“What you end up doing is chasing her every play. You move somewhere and she hits it somewhere else. You want to be consistent and let her find her kills when she does and contain her when she doesn’t. She’s playing at a really high level right now.”
Austin had balanced scoring but could not match Houston’s offensive efficiency. Skinner led the team with 20 kills, while Banks added 15 and O’Neal contributed 12. Logan Eggleston finished with nine kills.
“In my heart, that was our best effort defending it,” Banks said. “They literally set Jordan every single ball. The balls that we don’t touch, we have to defend, and we have to be in a great spot every single time. If you miss it one time, she’s going to take advantage of it.”
Houston also received strong support from Jess Mruzik (13 kills), Madi Rishel (nine kills) and Amber Igiede (eight kills), helping the league leaders maintain their spot atop the standings.
Austin now enters a critical stretch run as the playoff race tightens. Only the top four teams qualify for the postseason, and the defending champions currently occupy the final spot.
Austin has five matches remaining, including three at home: March 20 against Nebraska, March 26 against Madison and April 2 against Salt Lake.
Houston will host Atlanta on Saturday before playing its home finale March 25 against Salt Lake. The team closes the regular season with road matches at Nebraska on April 1 and Atlanta on April 4.
