Columbus East High School

COLUMBUS EAST HS — It was a night to remember at the Orange Pit this past Wednesday. The Columbus East boys volleyball team hosted their conference rivals, the New Albany Bulldogs, in a match that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. In a huge victory for the young program, the Olympians fought back from behind to win the match in five sets: 18-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20, and 15-13. The match was a back-and-forth battle from the start. After falling behind two sets to one, East had to win the fourth set to stay alive. They found themselves down 7-5 early in that set but completely changed the momentum with a massive 12-2 run. That burst of energy allowed them to take control and force a final fifth set. Patrick Strickland led the charge for the Olympians. He was a force at the net, finishing the night with 13 kills and four blocks. He got plenty of help from David Sylva, who ran the offense smoothly with 34 assists and added two aces to the scoreboard. Other Olympians stepped up to make sure the win stayed in Columbus: Jonathan Sylva did a little bit of everything, recording seven kills, five digs, two blocks, and an ace. Josiah Shelton kept the pressure on the Bulldogs with five kills. Aiden Sorrells contributed with a service ace during a key moment in the match. Matthew Muir helped protect the net with two blocks. The team also showed they could handle some adversity when they faced some trouble on defense. Trevor Ernst started the match strong at the libero position, racking up 14 digs. However, after he injured his thumb while diving for a ball, he had to sit out the final two sets. Kash Coers stepped in to take over the libero spot and didn't miss a beat. Coers, who has experience playing the position in club volleyball, recorded nine digs and helped keep the defense steady during the most intense parts of the game. The fifth and final set was a perfect example of how the whole night went. East jumped out to a 5-1 lead, but New Albany fought back to take a 6-5 lead. The Olympians didn't let the pressure get to them, eventually pulling ahead 12-7. The Bulldogs tried one last comeback to make it 13-11, but East held on to win 15-13 and secure the match. This win gives the Olympians a lot of confidence as they prepare for a busy schedule. They will head to Columbus North this Friday to take on their crosstown rivals. Frist serve: 6 p.m. Tickets: https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=181497