By Dan Hardenbrook
One of the biggest sporting events of the year took place last week: Newberry and Engadine raised funds and faced off for the 2025 Dig Pink Volleyball game.
In the JV matchup, Newberry stayed undefeated on the season, with the Lady Indians topping the Lady Eagles in straight sets (25-6, 25-13, 15-2). The Lady Indians Varsity also earned another win, topping Engadine 3-0 by scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-14.
In the JV contest, the still-perfect Lady Indians JV had a wire-to-wire lead, and used a strong teamwide effort to pick up points from every corner of the court. From the service line, to the back row, and up front at the net, the Lady Indians’ blend of size, speed, and skill gave them an edge, and their second win over the Lady Eagles in the rivalry this season with Engadine.
A large capacity crowd came out to support the cause, with the Eagle’s Nest packed to the rafters in pink. The line to get in stretched from the Engadine school lobby all the way out the street and hour before the JV game got underway, and the evening was a must see for the fans in the standing room only audience.
Newberry came in heavily favored, tied for first place in the EUP Conference. Both sides played with passion and excitement early, but Newberry’s size up front at the net made a major difference in the early action against the Eagles.
Engadine played hard, and the Lady Eagles actually led at one point in all three sets. They scored the first 4 points in the second set and held the lead until the midway. With the score tied 13-13, Newberry went on two impressive runs, picking up key points at the service line and earning the 2-0 lead. Engadine again made life difficult, building another early lead and jumping out in front in the third set, while Newberry built momentum and overcame the deficit.
Once the Lady Indians seized control, they put the pressure on and overwhelmed the Lady Eagles with another strong finishing run. The victory was the fourth conference win in the last five games for Newberry, which holds an EUP record of 6-1 on the season.
On Thursday, Newberry will host Rudyard in a match that could determine the conference championship.
