NEVADA, MO — On October 7, Cottey College hosted Columbia College (MO) in a tough non-conference matchup, ultimately falling in straight sets (19–25, 16–25, 12–25). Despite a strong home crowd and moments of promise, the Comets struggled to find rhythm against Columbia's efficient attack and disciplined defense.

Cottey's offense was led by Elena Adams, who posted 8 kills on 19 attempts with a .368 hitting percentage. Magdalen Dougherty added 6 kills and 12 digs, while setter Braylen Ford contributed 3 assists and 2 service aces. Saylah Rea anchored the back row with 14 digs and 17 assists, continuing her consistent play as the team's primary distributor.

Columbia College controlled the tempo throughout the match, improving their hitting percentage each set and finishing with a team average of .143. Kenedi Canty led Columbia with 5 kills and a .250 hitting percentage, while Viola Giangreco and Isabella Kincaid combined for 14 kills and 5 total blocks. Setter Hannah Vogt tallied 15 assists and added a service ace.

Cottey's attack struggled to gain traction, finishing with a team hitting percentage of -.078 and committing 31 errors. Despite the loss, the Comets showed flashes of defensive strength, with Hannah Janson and Ryleigh Dean contributing at the net and Morgan Koch recording 12 digs.

With the season progressing, Cottey will look to regroup and build on the lessons from this match. The team continues to show resilience and growth, and will aim to bounce back in their next outing.