Columbus East High School

The Columbus East volleyball team took part in the Lapel Invitational on Saturday, where they battled through four matches and finished the day with a 2-2 record. East opened with a straight-set win over Fort Wayne Bishop Luers (25-21, 25-20) before dropping a match to the host Bulldogs of Lapel (25-9, 25-6). The Olympians bounced back with a hard-fought victory against Alexandria-Monroe (26-24, 20-25, 15-9) but closed out the event with a three-set setback to Eastern Hancock (21-25, 25-19, 15-9). Several players turned in standout performances. Krea Martin anchored the defense with 36 digs while also firing in six aces and adding six assists. Addy Dean powered the offense with 21 kills and chipped in six blocks. Shelby Sharp directed the attack with 35 assists while also coming up big on defense with 27 digs and five aces. At the net, Anika Jenkins was a force with nine blocks, while Lilah Klei delivered six aces and three blocks. Izzy Rice added 15 kills and three blocks, Chloe Gill finished with 13 kills, and Kenlee Gault dished out 33 assists. Kadence Miller contributed 20 blocks to round out a balanced East effort. The Olympians turn their attention to an important Hoosier Hills Conference stretch. East will host Bedford North Lawrence on Tuesday, Sept. 16, before welcoming New Albany on Thursday, Sept. 18. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday’s contest will also serve as Teacher Appreciation Night. The volleyball program will honor educators connected to the Freshman and JV squads prior to the JV warmup, while Varsity players’ teachers will be recognized before the Varsity match warmup. The evening promises to be a special celebration of volleyball and community.