Houston Sweeps HCU in Non-Conference Finale

Saturday, September 19

Houston, Texas

6:30 p.m.

University of Houston

7-4,0-0Big 12

Houston Christian

2-10,0-0Southland

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Houston Christian	14	19	18	0
Houston	25	25	25	3

Houston volleyball celebrates after scoring a point against HCU

9/19/2026 7:55:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Match Book

Cougars close Flo Hyman Classic, Non-Conference play with straight-set victory

HOUSTON – Houston Volleyball swept its non-conference finale as the Cougars downed Houston Christian in straight sets to wrap up the Flo Hyman Classic on Saturday at Fertitta Center.

Sophomore Mattie Casale posted her 10^th career match with double-digit digs with 12 while sophomore Noemi Despaigne used 12 kills to reach double-digit kills in her third straight contest. Seventh-year Aidan Conner led Houston's (7-4) blocking effort against HCU (2-10), posting her most stuffs since joining Houston with seven and most since posting recording eight against Princeton on Nov. 11, 2022, while at Columbia.

HCU took the first two points, but Houston surged back by going on a 7-1 run to force an early Husky timeout. Another 7-2 run later in the frame extended the home team's advantage, with the Cougars going on to win the opener, 25-14. Jones led all players with seven kills in the first while Casale and Gibson each tallied five digs.

After a back-and-forth start to the second set, Houston claimed the lead with a 7-1 run that put it up 12-5. The teams traded 3-0 runs to force the media timeout at 15-8 before a 4-0 run brought HCU within three at 21-18. The Cougars held on to secure a 25-19 win in the second. Conner notched three blocks in the frame with six different Houston players recording kills.

Houston won seven of the first 10 points to quickly control the final frame, pushing its lead to seven by the media timeout at 15-8. The Cougars continued to control play with a pair of 3-0 runs to clinch the set, 25-18, and the match, 3-0. Senior Alyssa Gonzales dominated in third, posting nine kills on 14 swings with no errors.

STANDOUT COUGARS
·       Noemi Despaigne: 12 kills, five digs, two blocks
·       Alyssa Gonzales: 10 kills, .450 hitting percentage, three digs
·       Shannon Dworaczyk: 20 assists, four digs

UP NEXT
Houston begins Big 12 Conference play on the road in the Sunflower State. The Cougars start in Lawrence, Kan., for a tilt with the #22 Jayhawks on Sept. 25 (6 p.m.) before closing the road trip in Manhattan, Kan., for a catfight with Kansas State on Sept. 27. First serve against the Wildcats is set for 1 p.m.

Houston then returns to Fertitta Center for its Big 12 home opener against long-time conference rival Cincinnati on Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

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– UHCougars.com –