Houston Cougars setter Lottie Scully (22) reacts to scoring against the North Alabama Lions during the second half of an NCAA college women’s volleyball match, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
After falling short in its opening match of the weekend tournament held at Fertitta, Houston volleyball bounced back to sweep its Saturday doubleheader to claim the tournament.
The wins also snapped the Cougars’ four-match losing streak and marked their final challenges before Big 12 play.
Rahmon, Cougars power past North Alabama
In Saturday’s afternoon session, Houston won a tight match against North Alabama in three sets (27-25, 25-20, 25-23).
The Cougars’ sharp offense was anchored by redshirt senior middle blocker Barakat Rahmon, with 14 kills on 18 swings for a blistering .722 efficiency.
She wasn’t alone, redshirt sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Gonzales and junior outside hitter Halle Schroder also added 10 digs to give UH a steady presence.
Senior setter Lottie Scully kept the attack balanced with 42 assists, while senior middle blocker Kellen Morin owned the net with six block assists.
North Alabama tested Houston in every frame, threatening to steal the opener before the Cougars rallied late to make it 27-25. The Lions refused to go quietly in the third, but UH remained firm.
Cougars roll past McNeese in evening sets
Later that evening, Houston closed out the day with a dominant sweep of McNeese, dismantling the Cowgirls 25-11, 25-22, 25-18.
Gonzales erupted for 18 kills, while Scully was once again the engine, piling up 35 assists and seven kills of her own.
Rahmon and redshirt junior middle blocker Ella Wendel controlled the net, while Schroeder chipped in six kills and a pair of service aces to keep McNeese off balance.
Houston remained consistent throughout both matches. After posting a .328 hitting percentage against UNA in the earlier game, the Cougars matched that exact mark again versus McNeese. Across two sweeps, Houston hit .328 over six sets while holding its opponents to just .169.
Houston falls to Liberty in opening match
On Friday, the Cougars came up short in a five set thriller against Liberty, falling 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 24-26, 14-16.
Despite the loss, they had a higher attack percentage (.284 to .220) and out blocked the Lady Flames 14-6.
Senior outside hitter Brenya Reid led the way with 22 kills while Rahmon added 13 of her own with eight block assists. Morin chipped in nine kills and six blocks, and senior libero Alana Torres-Rivera steadied the back row with a match-high 20 digs.
Houston took the first and third sets behind its efficiency and blocking, but Liberty, led by sophomore outside hitter Carly O’brien’s 31 kills, came out on top in the end.
The fourth set slipped away 24-26, and the Cougars traded points in a tense fifth before Liberty escaped with the win.
Houston exits non-conference play at 7-4. For Cougar’s next challenge, it will face TCU at Schollmaier Arena. The game is set for Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
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