Colby volleyball opens season with 3-1 showing at Midland Kick-Off Classic

The Colby Community College volleyball team opened its 2026 season with a strong showing at the Midland Kick-Off Classic, returning from its annual trip to Texas with three victories in four matches.

Colby defeated host Midland College and Vernon College on the opening day before splitting two matches Saturday, falling to New Mexico Junior College and sweeping Hill College.

The Trojans began the tournament Friday with a five-set victory over Midland. After dropping the opening set 25-21, Colby responded with a 25-22 win in the second. Midland regained the advantage with a 25-12 victory in the third, but the Trojans extended the match by taking a tightly contested fourth set, 26-24. Colby then secured the victory with a 15-13 decision in the fifth.

Ella Dridi led Colby with 17 kills against Midland. Lena Mihaljica added 14 kills, Bianca Caputi finished with 10 and Marta Cherubini contributed five. Priscilla Salas Moreno directed the offense with 33 assists as the Trojans recorded 53 kills.

Colby closed Friday’s action with a four-set victory over Vernon, winning 25-23, 25-14, 23-25 and 25-15.

The Trojans delivered their best offensive performance of the weekend in the match, totaling 64 kills with a .368 hitting percentage. Dridi and Mihaljica shared the team lead with 17 kills apiece. Dridi committed only one attacking error in 28 attempts to finish with a .571 hitting percentage, while Mihaljica hit .364.

Caputi added 12 kills, Cherubini recorded eight and Aubree Richardson supplied six without an attacking error. Salas Moreno finished with four kills, 46 assists and two service aces.

Colby suffered its only loss of the tournament Saturday morning against New Mexico Junior College. The Thunderbirds won the match in three sets, 25-16, 25-22 and 28-26. Individual statistics were not available for Colby in the match.

The Trojans responded by closing the tournament with a sweep of Hill College. Each set ended with the same 25-23 score as Colby completed its season-opening trip on a winning note.

Dridi again paced the Colby attack, recording 16 kills and a .238 hitting percentage. Gracie Tucker added eight kills, Cherubini finished with five and Richardson and Caputi contributed four apiece. Salas Moreno distributed 34 assists and added three kills as Colby totaled 42 kills in the victory.

Dridi led Colby with 50 kills across the three matches for which complete statistics were available. Salas Moreno recorded 113 assists in those contests.

The 3-1 tournament record provided Colby with an encouraging start to the season, highlighted by a five-set win over the host team and a decisive response in its final match of the weekend.