University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
5-1,0-0Sun Belt
Houston Christian
1-6,0-0Southland
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Christian | 24 | 16 | 23 | 0 |
| Southern Miss. | 26 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Southern Miss Sweeps Houston Christian in Home Opener
9/10/2026 10:14:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss (5-1) continued its strong start to the 2026 season Thursday night, sweeping Houston Christian (1-6), 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-23), at the Wellness Center, in match one of the Southern Miss Invitational.
The Golden Eagles totaled 40 kills in the match as a team while the defense held the Huskies to a .119 hitting mark. Southern Miss also recorded six total blocks and eight service aces in the sweep.
Lillie Johnson led the charge for the Golden Eagles tonight with a career-high 13 kills, attacking at a .524 clip on 21 attempts. Johnson added a pair of blocks while recording five kills in the opening set and six more in the third.
Sadie McAda also reached double figures with 13 kills, while Elly Stewart added six kills and hit .357. Allie Hazelwood directed the Southern Miss offense with 31 assists, while Sunni Sheppard led the defensive effort with 24 digs.
Southern Miss and Houston Christian battled through a back-and-forth opening set that featured nine ties and six lead changes. The Golden Eagles trailed 23-20 late before fighting back to tie the frame at 23-all. After HCU briefly took a 24-23 lead, Southern Miss responded with a kill from McAda and an attack error by the Huskies before Johnson put away the set-winning kill, 26-24.
The Golden Eagles carried the momentum into the second set, using an early 7-2 run to establish control. Southern Miss pushed its advantage to 16-8 before the Huskies attempted to rally, but the Golden Eagles answered with another strong stretch to close out the set, 25-16 behind McAda's five kills and Johnson's three block assists.
The third set featured another tight battle, with the Golden Eagles jumping out to an early 4-0 advantage behind two Johnson kills. HCU eventually pulled even at 13-13 before Southern Miss created separation with a 16-13 lead. The Huskies rallied to take a 23-21 advantage, but the Golden Eagles answered with four straight points to complete the sweep. Hazelwood provided a solo block to tie the set at 23-23, before Stewart closed the match with back-to-back aces for the 25-23 victory.
Southern Miss continues the Southern Miss Invitational Friday, facing Lamar, followed by Southern and Jackson State in the remainder of the tournament on Saturday.
To keep up with the Golden Eagles, follow our Instagram (@southernmissvball), X (@southernmissvb), and Facebook (Southern Miss Volleyball).
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