Amidst Lexi Rodriguez’s Absence, LOVB Omaha Begins 2025 Season With a Clean Sweep

LOVB Omaha was pumped up, raring to go for their first season, and everyone was excited to see Lexi Rodriguez, who just had one of the most successful NCAA seasons ever. Lexi was the star everyone expected to see, especially after she set the record for digs in the NCAA with a staggering 1,897. She’s basically a volleyball legend now, right? But hold up—plot twist! Lexi wasn’t in the starting lineup for the big debut against LOVB Houston.

Instead, the team started with a great team of Emily Thater, Jaali Winters, Kimberly Drewniok, Jordan Larson, Laura Dijkema, Candelaria Herrera, and Justine Wong-Orantes. But here’s the thing—Lexi or not, LOVB Omaha wasn’t going to let anything get in its way. They started their first game with an iconic, clean sweep and demonstrated that team spirit, making it clear that no one was going to stop them.

LOVB Omaha comes on top without Lexi Rodriguez!

Lincoln Arneal hopped on X on January 10 to drop the exciting news, saying, “LOVB Omaha earns a sweep 25-19, 25-20, 28-26 over Houston in its first ever match. Omaha outblocked HTX 17-5 and hit .291 for the match. Houston hit .172. Winters recorded 13 kills. Larson tallied 6 kills and 2 aces. Thompson had 11 kills for Houston.” Talk about starting with a bang! LOVB Omaha came out swinging, blocking everything in sight and delivering a performance that had fans buzzing.

LOVB Omaha began their first season of League One Volleyball with a win over LOVB Houston in Texas. The squad was on fire, with seven blocks in the first set, and the team won the set 25/19. They did not rest there—Omaha claimed the second set 25-20 and edged a very close third set to 28-26. Despite Houston having a higher number of kills (44-41), Omaha was more dominant in the block game with 17 blocks against 5 blocks from Houston.

But here’s the big question—where was Lexi Rodriguez? Was it because Omaha’s got an Olympic gold medalist and senior libero, Justine Wong-Orantes, leading the charge? Or is there something else that is happening? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure—Lexi and her fans were all hyped and ready to see her perform in her debut for the pro league!

Rodriguez and her fans look forward to the big debut!

For the last few weeks, Lexi Rodriguez has been sharing her preparations with her fans as she prepares for her debut with LOVB Omaha. Whether it’s the joy of finally getting a place of her own or a sneak peek into her new ‘cooking era’—yes, she’s upping her game in the kitchen—Lexi has been all about inclusion. Earlier this month, on January 3rd, Lexi hopped onto TikTok to give the world a glimpse of her day, driving to Omaha to meet her family and dogs.

Kicking it off with a cheerful, “Okay guys, today is the day. I drive to Omaha. It’s gonna be a fun day,” and of course, iced latte in hand with oat milk and caramel drizzle because what’s a road trip without that go-to vibe? A few days later, on January 7th, Lexi showed us more of her life in her Instagram stories. She’s not only adjusting to the place; she is ensuring she maintains her fitness by getting the right nutrients in her body. She posted a picture of her groceries—lettuce, oils, noodles, sauces, chicken breasts—all lined up like a pro. “Trying to get into my cooking era,” she captioned, showing that she’s putting in the work. “Let’s see how this goes,” she added, and honestly, who doesn’t feel that little bit of anxiety when trying something new, right?

The fans were feeling her energy too, and one even tweeted, “Lexi Rodriguez plays volleyball again in 3 days,” before the LOVB Omaha’s first game. But guess what? The next game is scheduled for January 18th against LOVB Madison at the Wisconsin Field House, but will Lexi be playing? Oh well, we’ll see, but what do you think? Let us know in the comments!