Columbus East High School

The Columbus East volleyball team picked up a pragmatic conference road victory Thursday night, grinding through three tight sets to sweep New Albany 25-22, 26-24, 25-21. While the final score reflects a straight-set win, the match was a point-for-point battle requiring late-set execution from the Olympians to edge past a scrappy Bulldogs squad. The win moves East back to .500 on the season at 9-9 while improving their Hoosier Hills Conference record to 4-1. The Olympians leaned on steady team execution and timely net defense to hold off New Albany. Outside hitter Addy Dean provided reliable finishing power, pacing the attack with 15 kills alongside seven digs. Setter Jillian Chapple orchestrated the floor with 20 assists while making her presence felt at the net with five blocks. Middle blocker Emma Armstrong matched Chapple’s five blocks, chipping in seven kills and serving up three key aces. Defensively, East stayed composed under pressure to prevent New Albany from extending sets. Libero Kadence Miller anchored the back row with 15 digs, supported by Shelby Williams with nine digs. Kenlee Gault added 13 assists to keep the offense moving, complemented by Ava Tartt’s six kills and two aces, Cadence Smith’s two service aces, and two blocks from Taylor Anderson. While securing the road victory keeps Columbus East near the top of the HHC standings, a grueling stretch of elite competition awaits them this week. The Olympians face a formidable gauntlet of state-ranked powerhouses, starting Tuesday, September 22nd, when they host the #7 Providence Pioneers. Immediately following that non-conference test, East wraps up its league schedule at home against the #9 Floyd Central Highlanders—the lone remaining undefeated team in HHC play. Squaring off against back-to-back top-ten opponents will present a major challenge and serve as a true benchmark for the team.