The first outdoor volleyball match in Indiana history will be played Wednesday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m. when Carroll hosts Homestead at Charger Stadium.
The longtime rivals will meet again, this time under the lights in a setting rarely seen at the high school level. College programs have experimented with similar events before — most notably Big Ten powerhouse Nebraska, which drew 90,000 fans for an outdoor match.
Carroll Athletic Director Dan Ginder confirmed this will be the first official outdoor match in the state. The mobile court, brought in from Indianapolis, features a color scheme similar to the Indy Ignite — with a royal blue and dark wood design. To add to the atmosphere, the Chargers will also give away four tickets to an Ignite match during the event.
Still, once the lights are on and the court is set, it all comes down to the two teams.
Tale of the Tape – Homestead
The Spartans enter the matchup with a 4-2 record (as of Aug. 25) and face Warsaw tonight. Their two losses have come against Concordia (3-2) and Carroll (2-0) in tournament play.
Senior hitter Savy Walker, a Santa Clara commit, leads the Spartans with 2.8 kills per set. Walker takes on the challenge of stepping into the spotlight after All-American Addy Tindall graduated to Purdue this season.
So far, Homestead has posted 39 aces, 42 blocks, and 13.7 digs per set through its first six matches.
Tale of the Tape – Carroll
The Chargers come in perfect at 6-0 (prior to their Aug. 26 matchup with Heritage), fresh off winning the Penn Tournament — which included a victory over Homestead.
Carroll has yet to drop a set this season. Only Penn has managed to push the Chargers past 20 points in a set, falling 25-22.
Junior Bailey Sinish is averaging 5.7 kills per set, tied for third-best in the state. The Chargers have also tallied 50 aces, 30 blocks, and 165 digs through six matches.
Coaches & Rankings
- Carroll: Pandy Sinish — 90-13 in her third season
- Homestead: Jessica Holtzclaw — 27-8 in her second season
(Records prior to 2024 season included)
Carroll, last year’s state champions, are currently ranked No. 15 in the country.
All-Time Series
Carroll leads the rivalry 23-2.
Bottom Line
Another chapter in this fierce rivalry will be written Wednesday night, and this one will make history. Fans can tune in on the Charger Sports Network to witness Indiana’s first-ever outdoor volleyball match.