Kenze Bostic
IU Columbus showed for most of Friday night that it could play with one of the top volleyball teams in the River States Conference.
But for the Crimson Pride, it came down to an inability to close out sets.
IUC led IU East 19-13 in the first set and 22-18 in the third set. The Red Wolves answered by scoring the final 12 points of the first set and the last seven points of the third set and claimed a 25-19, 25-17, 25-22 victory on the Crimson Pride’s senior night at Ceraland.
“I think we lost focus very easily, and when we lose focus, it’s hard for them to come back,” IUC coach Jose Olivo said. “When we’re not there mentally, it’s not going to happen. They are freshmen and sophomores. It’s a lot of growth that is required that is going to be there. So this is a learning experience. It still hurts that we were right there in the first set and couldn’t finish them.”
Cora Baker recorded five kills, 12 digs and one ace; Hauser graduate Kenze Bostic tallied five kills and one solo and one assist block and Addison Lemon had 13 assists and one ace to lead the Crimson Pride.
Also for IUC, Sadie Egan posted four kills, nine digs and eight digs and lone senior Leah Thompson added four kills and three assist blocks. Olivia Embry pounded four kills, and Alyvia Luce notched 10 digs.
The Crimson Pride (8-11, 4-8) entered this week in ninth place in the conference, one spot out of the conference tournament. They beat sixth-place IU Southeast in five sets on Tuesday before falling to second-place IU East on Friday.
IUC has four regular-season matches remaining, beginning Tuesday at Brescia. The Crimson Pride visit Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Nov. 1, host first-place IU Kokomo in their home finale Nov. 5 and visit Oakland City on Nov. 9.
IUC has split with those four teams, beating SMWC in three sets and Oakland City in four sets and falling to IU Kokomo in three sets and Brescia in five sets.
“If we can manage to beat Brescia and Oakland City, I think that we can will have a lot of chances to make the tournament,” Olivo said.
