Columbus East High School

The Columbus East Olympian girls volleyball team hosted state-ranked No. 15 Bloomington South on Tuesday night in the Orange Pit. After dropping the opening set 25-11 following a slow start, the Olympians quickly refocused in the second frame. Trailing 17-10, East sparked a late-set surge behind the serving of Emma Armstrong, who finished the night with two aces. The O’s trimmed the deficit to 17-16 before overtaking the Panthers to claim a 26-24 set victory and even the match. Bloomington South responded in the third set with an efficient 25-13 win, despite East staying within range at 16-12 midway through. Columbus East brought high energy into the fourth set, building an 18-17 lead and staying within a single point at 20-19. However, the Panthers countered with tight back-row defense and strong net play, scoring five straight points to close out a 25-19 set victory and take the match. As Columbus East works toward maintaining steady execution from start to finish, the team showed clear progress across every position. Addy Dean fueled the attack with a team-high 14 kills while picking up 15 digs. Ava Tartt equaled that defensive mark with 16 digs while adding six kills and an ace. Jillian Chapple directed the offense with 16 assists, and Kenlee Gault contributed eight assists along with an ace. At the net, Bailey Rohde recorded six kills and two blocks, while Cadence Smith and Riley Hawley each posted one block. Kadence Miller collected 13 digs to extend key rallies, and Shelby Williams added an ace behind the baseline. And then there were four: four remaining regular season matches to wrap up the schedule, with every single one taking place on the road. The O’s open their four-match road swing with a short drive across town to face cross-town rival Columbus North High School on Thursday, October 1st. Freshman and JV action begins at 6:00 p.m., with the varsity match to follow right after. Orange Nation is encouraged to make the trip across town and support the team!