MARSHALL, Mo. - The Columbia College volleyball team continued their challenging start to the 2025 season, falling to John Brown University (Ark.) 3-0 and Missouri Valley College 3-1 on Thursday at the Viking Invitational.

The Cougars sit at 0-6 on the early season. Columbia returns to action at Tabor College (Kan.) on September 4th at 7:00 p.m.

Game One: John Brown defeats Columbia 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-23)

The Cougars battled throughout the match against the Golden Eagles, keeping each set competitive despite the sweep.

In the opening set, Columbia fell behind early as John Brown built a commanding lead. The Golden Eagles controlled play, taking the opener 25-17.

The second set presented Columbia with their highest hitting percentage of the match, rallying from multiple deficits to tie the match at 21-21. The Cougars showcased improved play from the opening frame. However, John Brown closed strong to take a 25-22 victory.

In the final set of action, Columbia rallied from down 15-10, to eventually tying the set at 23-23 behind strong serving and defensive play. John Brown managed to edge out the final two points for a 25-23 win to complete the sweep.

For Columbia, Isabella Kincaid led the offensive attack with eight kills, while Viola Giangreco contributed 6 kills. Vogt added 11 assists, while Alexa Olson distributed nine assists. Kenedi Canty anchored the front row with 2 solo blocks.

Game Two: Missouri Valley defeats Columbia 3-1 (25-19, 16-25, 25-20, 25-17)

In their second match of the day, the Cougars battled Missouri Valley in a back-and-forth four-set affair, ultimately falling 3-1.

Columbia dropped the opening set 25-19 before bouncing back with a top performance in the second frame. The Cougars dominated the second set from start to finish, controlling both sides of the net to take a commanding 25-16 victory and even the match at 1-1.

The third set saw Missouri Valley regain control, taking a 25-20 decision to put Columbia in a must-win situation. In the fourth and final set, the Vikings jumped out to an early lead and maintained their advantage throughout, closing out the match with a 25-17 victory.

For Columbia, Isabella Kincaid led all attackers with 12 kills, while Heather Bana contributed 9 kills on an efficient .333 attack percentage. Viola Giangreco added 6 kills and Nazarena Avila chipped in 5 kills.

Hannah Vogt orchestrated the offense with 19 assists, while Alexa Olson distributed 14 assists.

Defensively, Taylor Johnson paced Columbia with 14 digs. At the net, Viola Giangreco and Nazarena Avila each contributed 4 block assists.