Reese Edwards
After a little bit of a slow start to the season, the Columbus North volleyball team is catching fire.
The Bull Dogs won their fifth match in a row Wednesday night, a 25-18, 28-26, 25-12 sweep of Scottsburg.
“I knew this was going to be a big year for us,” North coach Jenna Ortega said. “This team comes together as one. They push each other. In the past, I feel when we started getting down, it was hard to get out of that hole, and this time, we are turning things around quick and working together as one.”
The Bull Dogs (8-5) were aided Wednesday by some aggressive serving. They had double-digit aces and very few serving errors.
“We practice trying to hit exact spots,” junior middle hitter Kennedy Horn said.
“We really have focused more on serving, especially in practice,” Ortega added. “We’re really trying to get more consistent with our serves, and I think it’s really showing.”
Kennedy Horn
North never trailed in the first set. The second set went back-and-forth until the Bull Dogs took a 24-20 lead. The Warriors rallied to lead 26-25, but North got a sideout and two conseutive points with Roselynn Venegas at the service line to take a two-sets-to-none lead.
Scottsburg jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first set. The Bull Dogs then went on a 13-1 run with Horn and junior setter Reese Edwards serving. Edwards capped the run with four consecutive aces to put North ahead 15-7.
“I feel like we were a little more relaxed tonight,” Ortega said. “We didn’t really go as hard as I know that they can go. But the end of the day, they’re still going out as a team, we’re not giving up and we’re still showing up. I’m super proud of them.”
Horn finished with 11 kills and three block assists, and Edwards had 23 assists and seven aces to lead the Bull Dogs. Elaina Penrod notched three block assists, and Morgan Osborn tallied 23 digs.
Also for North, Karen Dutro pounded eight kills, and Edwards added six kills and nine digs. Kaitlin White contributed six kills, and Horn and Osborn each served three aces.
“I just think we really mesh well, and we’re really pulling through this season,” Edwards said. “I think it’s boosting our confidence a lot.”
“I think we’re finding a lineup that works for us as a team, and how we can put each team member’s ability to use,” Horn added. “We’re working with what’s good for us, and we’re really getting it done as a team right now.”
