Columbus' string of victims: 4, 3, 2 ...

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Columbus Sailors have cut down No. 4, No. 3 and No. 2 on their way to the state championship match.

You can imagine what awaits.

Tenth-rated Waterloo Columbus made it three postseason upsets in a row, sweeping No. 2 Unity Christian, 28-26, 25-21, 25-21, in a Class 2A semifinal at the state volleyball tournament Thursday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'We're working together right now, for sure,' said Columbus' Lauren McManus. 'We have heart. We believe in each other.'

The Sailors (29-13) got to state by derailing unbeaten, fourth-rated Lake Mills in the regional-final round. They bumped No. 3 Sumner-Fredericksburg in the quarterfinals Wednesday, and now this.

Next up is No. 1, defending-champion Western Christian for all the 2A marbles at 4:45 p.m. Friday. The top-rated Wolfpack (40-6) swept No. 7 Council Bluffs St. Albert on Thursday.

'They're a great team, a tall team,' McManus said. 'They'll be tough for sure, but we've got to believe.'

Columbus' uprising shouldn't come as a major surprise. The Sailors brought back three starters from last year's squad that qualified in Class 3A.

Plus, they're a member of the powerful North Iowa Cedar League, which sent six teams to state.

'We thought we were capable of this,' Anna Sinnott said. 'We've been working for this all season. We're deserving of this.'

Unity (34-5) scored three straight points for a 25-24 lead in the opener, then had another set point at 26-25. But the Sailors scored the next three points to take the set — the last of which came on Kate Shannon's ace — and Columbus didn't give the Knights another chance.

A 7-1 run in the second set gave Columbus a 23-18 lead, then they scored five in a row to take control of the finale at 20-15.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com