Nothing’s going right for LOVB Omaha. After six weeks on the road, the team ignited hope in their fans with their return to Omaha. Unfortunately, that hope would last for just a single set inside Liberty First Credit Union Arena. Despite winning their first set against Salt Lake, Lexi Rodriguez‘s team crumbled like a house of cards in the three that followed.

Their 25-16, 23-25, 23-25, 19-25 loss against Salt Lake put Omaha on a six-game skid. What’s worse? The fan favorite, Rodriguez made her home debut “in the first set,” as per Huskers Illustrated’s Lincoln Arneal. Needless to say, this is not exactly the way fan favorite Rodriguez wanted her home debut to play out. Yet, why is Omaha struggling this way?

It’s a question even the fans can’t seem to wrap their heads around. Right now, the team has a 4-6 losing record, despite sporting icons and Olympic gold medalists like Justine Wong-Orantes and Jordan Larson. “Why does this keep happening?” questioned one concerned fan seeking answers about Lexi Rodriguez’s team.

Lincoln Arneal tried to provide an answer while commenting on the team’s performance. The reporter revealed that they “couldn’t overcome injuries,” and despite starting strong, couldn’t hold on to the lead. Omaha’s coach Susie Fritz opened up on the situation, explaining her pride in the players who are enduring injuries but showing up for the matches.

“We’re fighting through some stuff, and we’ve been fighting through it for weeks, and we’re having a hard time getting healthy bodies out there that can stay there for very long,” said Lexi Rodriguez and Co.’s coach. While middle blocker Candelaria Herrera returned for her first game after being sidelined for about a month due to a knee injury, Lauren Stivrins wasn’t seen on the court. The coach said that while these injuries are not major ones, they have affected everyone’s “performance and our lineup.” Yet, another piece of the puzzle has also thwarted the volleyball team.

Are Lexi Rodriguez and Co. lacking the bite?

Fans continued to express their bafflement in the comments. LOVB Omaha has ex-Nebraska Huskers, Olympians, and veterans of the sport. “Crazy!!” commented one fan looking at the state of Omaha’s season record. “This team has a ton of talent and experience,” the netizen added, wondering what exactly is going wrong.

While the fan wasn’t wrong about the Omaha roster’s talent, the second piece of the puzzle alluding to the team is their attack or lack thereof. “Looking back at last night’s LOVB Omaha loss, its 6th straight in all competitions, and the offense just isn’t good enough right now. Can’t seem to find 2 pins playing well in the same match,” commented The Volleyball State handle.

“Drewniok hitting .221 over the losing streak, but is still the best option at Opp.” they further explained. The page was right in their analysis of the lack of offensive bite. That’s because the players themselves confessed to the same. Madi Kubik-Banks is among the few who have found their stride during this losing streak. Lexi Rodriguez’s teammate scored 31 kills in the last two matches.

However, Kubik-Banks credited coach Frits for her current form. She explained that it was the coach who challenged her to take on a more offensive role as per Lincoln Arneal. “I have to shift into a more aggressive mindset,” said the LOVB Omaha player. However, the rest of the offense also needs to click together to produce results.

Either way, something needs to change for LOVB Omaha, because right now, the fans feel dejected. “Man, this is just getting sadder and sadder,” commented a netizen after Salt Lake’s victory. Thankfully, it’s not all bad news for Omaha. Serving has been one of the strong points for the team, and Lexi Rodriguez has certainly helped as a first-set sub.

Rodriguez got the loudest cheer at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in the video Lincoln Arneal shared. With that said, even after all this time, one fan couldn’t help but point out a fundamental problem with the LOVB itself. And it’s their reliance on logos instead of names. “The squiggly lines beat us again. I wish I knew who they were, but you refuse to list their name,” wrote the fan.

“Atlanta perhaps?” they added jokingly. Yet, while it’s uncertain if the LOVB will ever prioritize names ahead of logos, it’s safe to say Lexi Rodriguez and Co., despite being on a losing streak, are trying to address their shortcomings.