Lady Eagles Split at Holcomb Triangular, Pick Up First Win of the Season

The Colby High School Lady Eagle volleyball team finally broke through on Thursday night, September 11, earning their first victory of the season against Hugoton before falling to host Holcomb in a triangular match. The split moved Colby to 1-9 overall, a record that reflects the rebuilding challenge of replacing half their starting lineup from last season.

Colby opened the evening against Hugoton and came out with a determined energy. In the first set, the Lady Eagles strung together a commanding run highlighted by kills from Sadie Cheney and Shaylee Holzmeister, along with a timely tip from Fia Tubbs. Harper Vaughn and Kalyssa White also chipped in points as Colby forced Hugoton into a string of errors, cruising to a 25-14 win.

The second set told a different story. After an early ace from Vaughn and a series of kills from Holzmeister, Hugoton steadied themselves and took advantage of Colby miscues at the net. Despite a late push that included back-to-back aces from Vaughn and a kill from Emily Flanagin, the Lady Eagles couldn’t close the gap, dropping the set 25-20.

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That set the stage for a decisive third frame. Hugoton grabbed the early lead, but Cheney responded with two clutch kills to keep Colby in striking distance. Holzmeister and Vaughn powered home kills during a pivotal rally, and a string of Hugoton errors opened the door for Colby to finish strong. After a back-and-forth exchange late, Hugoton handed over match point with a service error, sealing Colby’s 25-23 win and first match victory of the 2025 season.

Momentum, however, didn’t carry over into the nightcap against Holcomb. The host Longhorns jumped out early in both sets, punishing Colby’s struggles with serve receive and out-of-system play. Cheney and Bailey McCorkle each notched kills in the opening frame, but Holcomb’s balanced attack overwhelmed Colby in a 25-9 decision.

In the second set, Colby showed more fight. McCorkle, Cheney, White, and Tubbs each tallied kills, while Flanagin added an ace to keep the score within reach midway through. Still, too many unforced errors and free balls gave Holcomb the upper hand, and the Longhorns closed out the match 25-17.

Despite the loss, Thursday’s performance showed flashes of progress for the Lady Eagles. Cheney and Holzmeister led a steady offensive effort against Hugoton, while Vaughn sparked runs with her serving.

The Lady Eagles return to action next week looking to build on their first win. With more consistency, Colby hopes to translate those “flashes of brilliance” into momentum for the rest of the season.