After losing a couple of key players from last year’s Indiana Christian Schools Athletic Association runner-up team, Columbus Christian volleyball coach Sarah Stair moved some of her key returnees around to begin this season.
So far, the moves have paid off. The Crusaders improved to 8-0 Saturday afternoon with a 25-12, 25-8, 25-15 Southern Roads Conference win against Cannelton on senior day.
“I think they came out ready to play,” Sarah Stair said. “We had a really tough match on Thursday night (a five-set win at Crosspointe Christian). Sometimes, it’s a little hard when the tempos of the match are so different, so they were trying to get used to that.”
To begin this season, Stair moved her senior daughter Hannah Stair from setter to outside hitter, moved her sophomore daughter Emily Stair from outside hitter and defensive specialist to setter and moved sophomore Kayla Jones from libero to middle hitter.
Thanks to the additions of middle hitters Lila Hudson and Isabella VanCuren, Jones has been able to move back to libero.
“I wanted to be able to keep Kayla at libero,” Sarah Stair said. “She is a solid defensive player. She can jump, she can hit, she can block, she can play defense, she can serve. She can do everything, so I knew that wherever I put her, she would work hard and play her best, but I absolutely love having her in the back row because very little hits the ground when she’s back there.”
On Saturday, Columbus Christian cruised in the first two sets before things got a little closer in the third. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third set and led 14-11 before the Crusaders got a sideout, and Hannah Stair served 12 consecutive points to give them a 24-14 lead.
“We decided to pull together and trust in each other and trust that we were going to pull it out,” Hannah Stair said. “It’s really crazy to think that this is my senior year and that it’s almost done, but I’m so thankful for all the years I’ve had here.”
After Cannelton survived one match point, Columbus Christian finished off the match on a kill by senior Madison Henderson.
“It was nice to have a little bit more of a challenge (in the third set),” Henderson said. “It gave us an opportunity to pull together at the end and have some good teamwork. There’s always room for improvement, but I think we played well as a team, and we play for God’s glory and that’s always a good thing.”
Henderson and Hannah Stair each pounded 13 kills, and Henderson and Jones each notched 11 digs. Emily Stair recorded 25 assists and nine aces.
Hannah Stair also tallied nine digs and five aces, and Emily Stair added one kill and seven digs. Henderson served four aces, Hudson added four kills and the Crusaders’ third senior, Kinidy Morgan, had two kills and four digs.
