No. 7 Trojans Battle No. 9 Odessa, Sweep Western Nebraska on Saturday

STERLING, Colo. – The No. 7 Colby Community College volleyball team faced a tough slate on Saturday (Sept. 13), dropping a four-set battle to No. 9 Odessa before bouncing back with a sweep over Western Nebraska to close the day.

The Trojans opened the day against another top-10 opponent, pushing Odessa through four competitive sets before falling 3-1. Karlotta Kattai led Colby with 18 kills and 17 digs for a double-double, while Lena Mihaljica added 12 kills and 14 points. Isadora Carrareto and Isabella Martins chipped in 11 combined kills, with Martins also contributing three service aces.

No. 9 Odessa opened strong with a 25-17 win in the first set, but the No. 7 Trojans answered back in a thrilling second, edging out a 27-25 victory to even the match. From there, Odessa regained momentum, taking the third set 25-20 before closing out the match with a 25-18 win in the fourth.

Setter Amanda Caputi directed the offense with 49 assists while adding three kills and three blocks. Defensively, Silvia Lopez Cuesta (12 digs) and Anita Ferri (13 digs) held down the back row. As a team, the Trojans finished with 53 kills, 81 digs, 10 total blocks, and eight aces in a well-rounded effort against a nationally ranked opponent.

Colby regrouped quickly in the afternoon, sweeping Western Nebraska in straight sets behind a .306 team hitting percentage. Kattai once again led the attack with 14 kills on a .370 clip, while Ella Dridi delivered one of her best outings of the season, finishing with 11 kills, three aces, and 15 total points.

No. 9 Colby set the tone early with a 25-20 win in the opening set, then dominated the second frame 25-14. The Trojans carried that momentum into the third, closing out the sweep with a 25-19 victory.

Caputi continued her steady play at setter, handing out 36 assists to go with two aces, while Mihaljica and Carrareto added key production at the net, combining for 10 points. Martins was efficient as well, recording five kills on 11 swings (.273). Defensively, Ferri anchored the back line with nine digs, while Colby's front row combined for eight block assists. The Trojans tallied 41 kills, 33 digs, and 11 service aces to secure the sweep.

The No. 7 Trojans now turn their attention back to conference play, hosting former nationally ranked Dodge City on Wednesday (Sept. 17) at the Colby Event Center.