Columbus East High School

The Columbus East girls volleyball team took the court for the first time this season Wednesday night, hosting the Whiteland Warriors in an official IHSAA scrimmage inside the Orange Pit. While no official score was kept, in this author’s opinion, the Olympians came away with the upper hand. East showed some early jitters with a few service errors in the opening session, but quickly found their rhythm as the night went on. A balanced mix of new starters and veteran players created exciting offensive moments, while the defense stayed steady from start to finish. The team is still fine-tuning its set-and-spike timing, but that’s an area expected to sharpen as the season progresses. More than anything, the Olympians played with energy and togetherness. Hustle was evident on every point, the bench stayed engaged and encouraging, and attitudes were positive from the first serve to the last. It was a strong start to the season, and now the coaching staff will turn to film review to make corrections and build on the many positives. Columbus East won’t have to wait long to officially kick off the season, as they welcome Bloomington North to the Orange Pit on Tuesday, August 19. The JV match begins at 6 p.m., with varsity to follow. Good start, Olympians!