Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. – IU Columbus volleyball delivered a statement performance at the Showdown in the Woods tournament, hosted by Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, finishing the weekend with a 3-1 record. Behind consistent offensive balance and strong defensive efforts, the Crimson Pride continued to build momentum in their young season.

The weekend opened early Friday morning with a dominant sweep of Great Lakes Christian (25-9, 25-17, 25-14). The Crimson Pride controlled the match from start to finish, hitting an efficient .289 as a team. Junior outside hitter Cora Baker powered the offense with seven kills and three service aces, while setter duo Bailey Stevens and Sadie Egan combined for 31 assists and four service aces.

In their second match Friday, IU Columbus faced a tough Johnson (TN) squad and fell 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 26-24). Despite the loss, Sadie Egan turned in a standout performance with eight kills, two aces, and a .471 hitting percentage. Ruthie Bingham added 10 kills, while Baker chipped in six kills and a service ace. The Crimson Pride pushed Johnson to the brink in the third set before falling just short.

The Crimson Pride bounced back in the afternoon with a clean sweep of Mount Mary (25-13, 25-23, 25-19). Bingham was nearly unstoppable with 11 kills on .381 hitting, while Baker provided a well-rounded performance with eight kills and four service aces. Stevens and Egan ran the offense efficiently, combining for 32 assists and five aces. The win bumped IU Columbus' record on the day to 2-1 and set the tone for Saturday.

IU Columbus closed the tournament in impressive fashion with a sweep of Culver-Stockton (25-11, 25-17, 25-18). Bingham once again paced the attack with 10 kills, while Baker and Jada Munro each chipped in offensively. The defense held Culver-Stockton to just .013 hitting on the match, with Maria Otero and Alyvia Luce anchoring the back row.

For her consistent contributions across all four matches, Baker was named to the Showdown in the Woods All-Tournament Team. She finished the weekend with 31 kills, nine service aces, and strong defensive play.

With the 3-1 showing, IU Columbus improves to 7-2 overall on the season.

Next Up: The Crimson Pride return home for their 2025 home opener on Tuesday, September 9, when they host Franklin College at Cera Sports Park. The game is set to start at 7:00 PM. 2