By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka High had to fight through a considerable amount of frustration in Monday's Highland Park volleyball triangular, but the Trojans ended the night on a high note, picking up their first win of the 2026 season.
Topeka High celebrates a service ace from senior volleyball standout Campbell Dawson (20) during Monday's triangular at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
High dropped a 25-19, 25-10 decision to Centennial League rival Junction City in its first match before bouncing back to take a 25-23, 25-15 win over USD 501 rival Highland Park.
"I'm proud of them, they finally bounced back,'' Topeka High coach Bridget Bargmann said. "We're young. We only have a couple of returners, so other than that, we have an all new team.
"It's a brand new group of girls, so there's growing pains, but that's part of coaching. There's bright spots and then there's not so bright spots, positives and not so positives.''
Topeka High junior Sophia Brown (3) celebrates a service ace Tuesday at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans, now 1-6, got things off to a rousing start, getting a couple of early service aces from junior Sophia Brown and a kill from sophomore Simone Holloway to open up an 8-1 lead, but Junction City quickly turned the tables en route to the six-point first-set win.
The Blue Jays then went wire to wire for the sweep in the second set after opening up an 8-0 advantage and scoring the final four points to close out the 25-10 win and cap a 2-0 night.
Highland Park, which dropped a 25-11, 25-15 to Junction City in its opening match, took the first set against Topeka High down to the wire and led as late as 23-22 after strong serving from senior Evelyn Cortez before the Trojans scored the final three points, including two aces from junior Masyn Chard.
Topeka High junior Alaina Ramirez sets the ball during Tuesday's volleyball triangular at Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Trojans never trailed in the second set, opening up a 9-4 lead on a Holloway kill and going up 17-9 after a pair of service aces from junior Aliana Ramirez and a kill from Brown.
Topeka High senior Campbell Dawson goes up for a spike in Monday's win over Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka High went on to close out the 10-point win while getting a dominating hitting performance from senior Campbell Dawson.
Match results
Junction City def. Highland Park, 25-11, 25-15; Junction City def. Topeka High, 25-19, 25-10; Topeka High def. Highland Park, 25-23, 25-15.
