Columbus East High School

The Columbus East Olympian girls volleyball team crossed town Thursday night for a spirited showdown against their city rivals, the Columbus North Bulldogs. Despite a competitive effort, the Olympians fell in three tightly contested sets, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21. The Olympians came out strong in the first set, surging to a 24-21 lead and reaching set point. However, the Bulldogs rallied with five consecutive points to claim the set 26-24. In the second set, Columbus East struggled to gain momentum, trailing throughout and ultimately losing 25-20. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Olympians started the third set with renewed energy, building a 21-19 lead late in the set. But once again, the Bulldogs mounted a comeback, winning six straight points to close out the set and the match 25-21. Though the loss was tough, the Olympians have shown marked improvement in recent weeks. The team is finding its rhythm at the right time, with postseason play just around the corner. They will close out the regular season with two road matches—on Tuesday, October 8th at Madison High School and Thursday, October 10th at Roncalli High School—before hosting the Columbus East Invitational on Saturday, October 12th. This will mark the end of the regular season for the Olympians. IHSAA Sectional Preview: The IHSAA volleyball sectional pairings will be revealed on Sunday, October 6th at 7 p.m. Columbus East competes in Class 4A Sectional #14 alongside East Central, Franklin Community, Whiteland, and Columbus North. There's a chance for a rematch against their city rivals in the opening round. Match Stats: -Final Scores: 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 - Krea Martin: 16 assists, 2 aces - Lauren Smith: 12 digs, 2 aces - Anika Jenkins: 6 kills - Lilah Klei: 1 solo block, 2 assist blocks - Rahianna Logan: 1 solo block, 2 assist blocks - Addison Emery: 2 aces - Kimberly Carothers: 5 kills - Chloe Gill: 5 kills