The highly anticipated “NBA of volleyball,” League One Volleyball (LOVB), has officially started.

In a thrilling night at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, LOVB Salt Lake faced off against LOVB Atlanta and secured a win in four sets (25-22, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21) before a full house, marking this as the inaugural victory in the women’s new professional indoor volleyball league.

Salt Lake’s Veronica Jones-Perry was awarded player of the match for her impressive performance, which included 23 kills, six digs, and one block.

“It’s amazing to see so many familiar faces on the other side,” Jones-Perry shared post-match. “I’m really proud of my teammates. The atmosphere was exhilarating. Our team exhibited a tremendous amount of spirit tonight; that’s the identity we’re aiming for. I believe we made that clearing statement.”

LOVB (pronounced “love”) comprises six teams that feature 10 of the 13 Olympians from Team USA who earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games. Notably, Kelsey Cook, a three-time Olympic medalist (2016, 2020, 2024), was the first player to join LOVB, signing with LOVB Atlanta. Meanwhile, two-time Olympians Haleigh Washington and Jordyn Poulter (2020, 2024) are part of the Salt Lake squad.

Katlyn Gao, co-founder, mentioned on Wednesday, “Five years ago, we dreamed that Olympians who achieve medal wins shouldn’t return home without a professional league like the NBA of volleyball to join. This achievement marks the result of five years of hard work. We aspire to create a league with a legacy that lasts. Witnessing our community come together, from young players to professionals, is truly remarkable.”

Salt Lake capitalized on six errors from Atlanta’s serves in the first set, winning it 25-22. While Atlanta led 12-9 in set two, Salt Lake rebounded with a 4-0 run to level the score at 12-12. Even with Atlanta having two opportunities to take the set, Salt Lake claimed it, finishing 27-25. Cook kicked off the third set strongly for Atlanta with a decisive kill, contributing to a 5-1 lead. Although Salt Lake fought back to close the gap, Atlanta held firm and took the third set 25-21, taking the match into a fourth set.

In the fourth set, despite Atlanta showing some strong moments, Salt Lake finished strong with a 9-5 run, winning 25-21 and taking the first victory in LOVB history.