Columbus North Boys Volleyball Falls to Strong Field at Carmel Invitational

The Bull Dogs showed promise despite losing all four matches in the season-opening tournament.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 7:22am

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The Columbus North boys volleyball team opened its season at the Carmel Invitational on Saturday, facing a challenging slate of opponents under new head coach Austin Tafoya. The Bull Dogs dropped all four of their matches but remained competitive throughout the tournament, showing encouraging signs against strong competition.

Why it matters

As a new season begins, the Carmel Invitational provided an early test for the Columbus North boys volleyball team, which is adjusting to a new head coach. The team's performance against tough opponents offers insights into their potential for the rest of the year.

The details

In pool play, the Bull Dogs fell to Zionsville (25-20, 25-10) and Monrovia (25-22, 25-23). They then lost matches to New Palestine (25-19, 25-21) and Illiana Christian in three sets (25-23, 22-25, 15-12). Senior Leo Iorio led the team in kills for the tournament, while Gian Alvarez paced the offense in assists.

  • The Carmel Invitational took place on Saturday, March 23, 2026.
  • Columbus North will open its home schedule on Monday, March 25, 2026, against Greenwood.

The players

Austin Tafoya

The new head coach of the Columbus North boys volleyball team.

Leo Iorio

A senior on the Columbus North boys volleyball team who led the team in kills during the Carmel Invitational.

Gian Alvarez

A player on the Columbus North boys volleyball team who paced the offense in assists during the Carmel Invitational.

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What’s next

Columbus North will open its home schedule on Monday, March 25, 2026, against Greenwood.

The takeaway

The Carmel Invitational provided an early test for the Columbus North boys volleyball team under their new head coach. While the team lost all four matches, they showed promise and competitiveness against strong opponents, offering encouraging signs for the rest of the season.