DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Columbia College volleyball team split a pair of matches on the road Saturday, dropping the morning session to Viterbo before rallying to knock off host St. Ambrose in four sets. The Cougars moved to 8-5 on the season.
Columbia returns to action Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Crowley's Ridge College in Paragould, Ark., in its American Midwest Conference opener.
Viterbo swept Columbia 3-0 in the opener at the WRC, winning 25-21, 25-20, 25-16. Viola Giangreco paced the offense with seven kills, while Alexa Olson ran the attack with 14 assists and Taylor Johnson dug up 17 balls in the back row.
Columbia responded in game two at Lee Lohman Arena, taking down St. Ambrose 3-1 by scores of 25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-21. The Cougars found their rhythm at the net, racking up a season-high 58 kills and a season-high 57 assists while hitting .215 as a team. Giangreco led the way with a career-high 19 kills on .341 hitting, Samira Baltazar and Isabella Kincaid added 10 and nine kills, respectively, Olson dished out 30 assists and Hannah Vogt added 20 more, and Johnson turned in a 29-dig effort to anchor the defense.
Game One Leaders (vs. Viterbo)
- Kills: Viola Giangreco (7), Samira Baltazar (6), Isabella Kincaid (3), Ana Cuartero (3), Alayna Backes (3)
- Assists: Alexa Olson (14), Hannah Vogt (10)
- Digs: Taylor Johnson (17), Alexa Olson (9), Isabella Kincaid (8)
- Blocks: Sophie Hurst (1 solo, 3 assist), Rowan Carr (2 assist), Samira Baltazar (2 assist)
Game Two Leaders (vs. St. Ambrose)
