National outside hitter Miroslava Paskova began her first season in the USA with a dramatic five-set match, in which her LOVB Atlanta lost their away game to LOVB Austin 2:3 (25:21, 17:25, 17:25, 25:17, 11:15). The match, played at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, was highly anticipated and was decided in the final rallies of the tie-break, where the hosts demonstrated better execution in key moments.
Match Development
Atlanta started strong and won the first set 25:21, achieving a 29% success rate in attack. Middle blocker Tia Jimerson was flawless in the opening set with 5 successful attacks out of 5 attempts, and opposite hitter Tessa Grubbs added 7 points.
Austin responded convincingly and took the next two sets 25:17 and 25:17, capitalizing on the visitors' fluctuations and increasing number of errors. In the fourth set, with the score tied at 16:16, Atlanta went on a 7-point scoring run, won the set 25:17, forcing the match into a decisive fifth set.
In the tie-break, Austin took an early lead and built up a significant advantage. With the score at 5:12, Miroslava Paskova gave her team momentum with a series of strong attacks, leading to a 5-point scoring run, but the accumulated deficit proved too large, and the hosts closed out the match 15:11.
Miroslava Paskova's Individual Performance
In her debut for LOVB Atlanta, Paskova recorded 9 points (7 from attack, 2 blocks). The Bulgarian attacked 21 times, achieving a 33.3% success rate, and finished with an attack efficiency of +0.238, without a single direct error.
In reception, she handled a significant workload with 27 receptions, and in defense, she registered 8 digs, which ranked her among Atlanta's most stable back-row players.
Comment:
Although she was not the highest scorer, Paskova played a comprehensive match, demonstrating reliability in attack, stability in defense, and a crucial role in the decisive moments of the tie-break, which is a promising start for her first season overseas.
Top Scorers in the Match
For LOVB Atlanta, the leader was Tessa Grubbs with 25 points, 20 of which came from attack, and she also added 11 digs in defense, completing a double-double in the first match of the season. Tia Jimerson finished with 13 points (7 attacks, 5 blocks, 1 ace), and Magdalena Jehlářová contributed 10 points.
For LOVB Austin, the top scorer was Madison Skinner with 17 points, followed by Madi Banks with 13 and Logan Eggleston with 12 points.
The Statistical Key to the Match
Despite the loss, Atlanta finished with more total points and more successful attacks, but the decisive factor was the difference in unforced errors — 36 for Atlanta versus 20 for Austin. This statistic, along with the hosts' more stable reception, tipped the scales in their favor in the tie-break.
Atlanta's head coach Paulo Coco did not hide his disappointment, but highlighted the positives:
"It was a tough match with many ups and downs for both teams. Unfortunately, errors made the difference. Nevertheless, the team showed character and strength to come back in the fourth set."
Looking Ahead
LOVB Atlanta won't have to wait long for a rematch. The two teams will meet again on Wednesday, January 14, at OTE Arena, with the match starting at 8:00 PM Eastern Time and broadcast live on USA Network.
For Miroslava Paskova, this will be another opportunity to solidify her good start and increase her role in Atlanta's rotation.
