Columbus, Ind. – IU Columbus opened conference play in front of a spirited NexusPark crowd Friday night, defeating Oakland City 3–1 (25–17, 25–18, 23–25, 30–28) in a thrilling Teacher Appreciation Night matchup.

Before first serve, the Crimson Pride honored IU Columbus faculty and staff, along
with area educators, recognizing the vital role they play in
the success of
student-athletes both on and off the court. Each IU Columbus player escorted a faculty or staff member onto the floor for a special introduction, presenting flowers and a thank-you card as a small token of appreciation.

The evening also included a spotlight for the St. Bartholomew Catholic School 6th Grade Girls Volleyball Team, celebrating the next generation of volleyball talent
in the Columbus community.

Once the match began, the Crimson Pride carried that energy into a hard-fought win. IU Columbus jumped out to a two-set lead before battling through a tight fourth frame, edging the Mighty Oaks 30–28 to close the match.

    Ruthie Bingham powered the offense with 14 kills, while     Cora Baker posted a balanced stat line of 12 kills and 16     digs. Setter Bailey Stevens directed the attack with 23     assists and two aces, and Sadie Egan contributed seven     kills, three aces, and 10 digs in the conference-opening     victory.

    The win improved IU Columbus to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in     conference play, setting the stage for another key match-    up on Saturday.

    The Crimson Pride carried their momentum into     Saturday, earning their second league win of the     weekend with a 3-1 victory over Brescia University 
                                                                                                                                                            (18–25, 26–24, 25–8, 25–21).

After a slow start in the opening set, IU Columbus rebounded with a gritty extra-point win in the second before dominating the third, hitting a blistering .531 as a team. The Crimson Pride finished strong in the fourth, controlling the net and service line to close out the match and complete the weekend sweep.

Cora Baker delivered a standout performance, tallying a match-high 19 kills on .457 hitting to go along with 14 digs. Abigail Watson chipped in 13 kills at a .370 clip, while Egan stayed steady with nine kills, three aces, and nine digs. Stevens again set the pace with 20 assists, and the Crimson Pride defense held the Bearcats to just a .164 hitting percentage.

With the win, IU Columbus improved to 10-4 overall and a 2-1 in conference play perfect, marking a memorable and meaningful opening weekend at Circle K Fieldhouse at NexusPark.

Next Up: The Crimson Pride return to Cera Sports Park for a home match-up vs. Boyce College on Tuesday (Sept. 23). The match is set to start at 7:00 PM.