Columbus Has Huge Comeback To Advance to the Class 3A Championship Game
Down two sets to none, the Waterloo Columbus Sailors mounted a huge comeback to advance to the title match for the Class 3A Iowa High School Volleyball State Volleyball championship.
Entering the 2017 Class 3A semifinal match, the Kuemper Catholic Knights had only lost seven sets all season, and they had only suffered back-to-back set losses twice. After winning the first two sets against Columbus (25-16, 25-21), it looked like a title berth for the Knights was in their future.
Waterloo Columbus attacked hard to start the third set, and jumped out to an early 10-5 lead. The assault rattled Kuemper Cahtolic, and forced them to call two timeouts through that point. Columbus kept the pressure on after the break grabbing a 12-8 lead. Then Kuemper went on six-point run. At this point, the game went back-and-forth as the two team trading sideouts. The Sailors finally put together a minor run and led 22-19. Columbus would get to a 24-22 lead, but Kuemper tied it at 24. Columbus finally closed the deal winning 29-27.
The fourth set started much like the third did. The Sailors eventually grabbed the lead, 11-10. The battle went point-by-point until the Sailors were about to close out the set with a 25-19 win forcing a fifth and decisive set. At stake, a ticket to the state championship match.
Kuemper scored the first point of game five, but Columbus fought back to grab the lead and eventual moved out to a 5-2 advantage. The Knights were able to climb out of the hole and tie things up at five. Kuemper would finally regain the lead, 7-6. Columbus stayed close and stole the lead a few times before finally closing out the fifth set and championship match berth winning 15-11. Kuemper ends their season with a 39-3 record.
Waterloo Columbus (35-8) will now face Sioux Center (34-5), who also had to battle through five sets, for the 2017 Iowa High School Volleyball state championship on Friday (Nov. 10) at 2:30 PM.