By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School volleyball team swept visiting Columbus Grove in a Northwest Conference match Tuesday evening, October 10, to end the regular season.

The Pirates improved to 17-4 overall and finished 6-2 in the NWC with the decisive 25-14, 25-21, 25-15 win. 

The Pirates finished in third place in the league standings after the sweep. Crestview won at 8-0, followed by Leipsic in second at 7-1. The Vikings swept Ada Tuesday night to secure second place.

Grove dropped to 5-10 overall and finished 3-5 in the NWC (sixth place) after the defeat.

Junior Ayla Grandey hammered 16 kills to pace the Pirate offense.

Kendall Stackhouse knocked down 11 kills, and freshman Karlie Lora contributed nine kills. Stackhouse also dealt a pair of aces.

Setter Gracie Yarnell dished out 37 assists and served six aces. 

Libero Avery Talavinia hustled up 11 digs. 

Morgan Fruchey came up with three blocks. Olivia Hobensack added six digs.

Bluffton has won 15 of its last 17 matches, with its only losses in that span coming to league leaders Crestview and Leipsic in the same week.

The Bluffton reserves also won 2-1 to win the NWC regular season title with a perfect 8-0 record. The Pirate JV is 18-3.