​LAFAYETTE — Faith Christian volleyball was ready for the occasion. After the Eagles went the distance with South Newton in a 3-2 win on Thursday, Sept. 3, setter Kelsey Olehy was gifted a custom-made volleyball. Stitched below her name and school, the ball read “1,000 assists.”Olehy was only 49 assists short heading into the night, and she got it in the fourth set — a set in which the Eagles rallied from down 18-16 to win 25-18. On the play, the senior tossed a picture-perfect ball in the middle, allowing junior Aubrey Cox to fly in for an emphatic kill.More: VOTE for the August 24-30 J&C Athlete of the Week, presented by Ivy TechTo make the feat even more impressive, Olehy reached the number in just three seasons, as her freshman year was spent on the junior varsity squad.”It’s a huge accomplishment,” head coach Josh Hill said. “She only played three rotations last year, so the kid is very productive, and to get to 1,000 the way she did was pretty fantastic.”Olehy was quick to credit her teammates following the game. Between game-swinging plays from Cox, senior Jordan Roseberry and others, the Eagles prevailed behind a strong team game.”I’ve been working really hard for the past three years, and I owe it all to my teammates because they put the ball away for me,” Olehy said. “I love this group of girls. This season especially has (brought) such good team chemistry. We all truly love each other, and that’s why we can put it together.”Faith Christian rallies for the winThe win certainly didn’t come easy for Faith Christian. After taking the first set 25-16, the Rebels won the next two sets, 25-22 and 25-21. Junior Jada Cripe was everywhere on the front line throughout the night, capping off the second set by blocking the return from her kill attempt.South Newton (9-2) also got a combined block from junior Ivy Ramirez and junior Brooklynn Reed in the third set, increasing its lead to 22-18. Despite the Eagles’ best efforts to make a comeback in that one, the Rebels held them off. But in control of its own fate, Faith Christian fought to win the next two sets and leave its home court victorious.”It was pretty rough,” Olehy said on the difficulty of the game. “We played another five-setter on Monday. I think we just pushed through all the way to the end, and we did not give up. We just kept fighting, kept the pressure on the other side.”The history between the two programs in recent years has been storied. They’ve met in their last two semi-state appearances, with the Eagles coming out on top in both duels. Each time these teams have shared the same floor in the regular season, it’s been a potential playoff preview.The circumstances will be different for the rivals in 2026. Faith Christian’s recent success in the postseason has lifted it up from Class 1A to 2A this season, making its opponent and path to another state title appearance all the more difficult. The Rebels remain in 1A and look poised to advance further than they did a year ago.”