Raider Gym in Altair by a final score of 25-4, 25-8, 25-7.
This was a match where Columbus simply outplayed Rice for it's majority and was too much on both sides of the ball for Rice to get any kind of
momentum going.
"It was another step toward our goal," said Columbus head volleyball coach Kayley Johns. "It was nice to see each player step up in their roles and help our team win." Rice looks to head back to practice and make some adjust -
ments going forward.
“We knew that they would serve well," said Rice head volleyball coach Morgan Hunter. “We knew that they would run a faster offense than what we run, so the goal was to pass and serve-receive versus the aggressive serves and to be mindful of slowing the ball down from a blocking perspec - tive defensively." Columbus took a 10-1 lead in the first set after a kill from Harper Gerik, then stretched their lead to as big as 20-4 af ter another kill from Gerik and bunch more kills on a run that included two aces from Logan Glueck. Two aces in a row from Lucy Schobel made it 22-- 4, which led to one more kill from Gerik, an additional kill, and an ace to win the set 25-4.
Rice was able to at least hang in very early in the sec - ond set at 4-2 before Columbus scored seven points in a row to put it at 11-2. A kill from Rice's Gourni Flowers put it at 11-3, which was followed by Colum - bus keeping a similar lead for most of the set until they ex tended their lead even more to- wards the end with a kill from Gerik, an ace, and a ball out of bounds to win the set 25-8.
The Lady Cardinals took a 4-0 lead in the third set, then Rice fought back and made it 6-3 after a block.
Columbus regained their big lead and put it at 17-7 after a lot of kills and an ace, which led to the Lady Cardinals scor - ing the rest of the points for the match and an ace from Mary Fitzgerald won the set and match 25-7.
