CLIPPERS SURVIVE EARLY TEST TO TOP EP

COLUMBIANA, OH- If you were looking for great high school volleyball on a Thursday night, you would have found it in Columbiana where the Lady Clippers met East Palestine for an EOAC match that wound up an instant classic from the first serve.

The two rivals would battle in the first set to a combined 68 points, where East Palestine took the reigns 35-33.  Columbiana would bounce back in the second set 25-10 only to never drop a set the rest of the way in a four-set thriller.

Tori Long led the way for Columbiana with 28 digs, 21 points, 8 kills, and 5 aces, which leaves her less than 10 digs away from 1000 in her career.  Julia Rapp earned Player of the Game rights with a full stat sheet: 12 kills, 2 blocks, 6 points, and 4 digs.  Ava Heinrich added 9 digs, 7 kills, 7 points, and 4 aces while Cameron Perkins’ 20 digs, 10 helpers, 5 points/kills, and an ace.  Other big contributors for the Lady Clippers included Tomi Ross’ 20 assists and 14 digs and Liv Cmil’s 26 digs.

For East Palestine, Sophia Foster shoveled out 28 digs, while pumping out 7 points and 6 kills.  Gia Brestelli had 20 digs and had nine points and an ace, while Mia Lee killed 14 volleyball and added 4 points and four blocks.  Mackenzie Parker had 14 helpers and four points, while Ceci Foster had 13 assists and 3 points for the Lady Bulldogs as well.

East Palestine will return home Tuesday to play Lisbon while Columbiana turns their attention to Southern on the same night.