LOVB Austin capped an improbable journey Sunday by sweeping LOVB Omaha (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) to win the inaugural League One Volleyball championship at the KFC Yum! Center.

Austin’s path was unlikely. After finishing 5-11 in the regular season, the fifth seed stunned Salt Lake with a reverse sweep, then toppled top-seeded Atlanta the same way. By the final, setter Carli Lloyd had the offense humming, dishing 45 assists as Austin hit .360 and out-blocked Omaha 16-3.

Texas stars Logan Eggleston and Madisen Skinner combined for 34 kills. Eggleston hit .469 with five blocks, while Skinner added 17 kills, continuing her streak of clutch championship performances. “We’re a pretty deadly combo,” Eggleston said. Skinner admitted, “I thrive under pressure… my teammates give me the confidence to swing.”

Omaha’s strong run ended in the final despite strong efforts from Jordan Larson and newcomer Sami Francis, who each had 10 kills. Omaha hit .217 and couldn’t match Austin’s defensive wall. “We’ll take lessons from this season and come back hungry next year,” Larson said.

For Austin, the victory was redemption after midseason struggles and a coaching change. “All the adversity we faced, we trusted the work we put in,” Lloyd said. With the win, Austin etched its name into history as the first LOVB champion.

Photos: League One Volleyball