Tree of Life closes regular season with commanding sweep of Central Crossing

Tree of Life closed its regular season in style Friday night, sweeping Central Crossing 3-0 behind a sharp all-around effort and a new lineup look that paid off from the opening set. The Trojans won 25-18, 25-22, 25-9 at home in Columbus, finishing the night with energy, balance and the kind of control that reflected the team’s progress late in the season.

The Trojans set the tone early by taking the first set 25-18, then showed poise in the second when Central Crossing pushed back. Tree of Life answered that challenge with steady play to secure a 25-22 win and take full command of the match. By the third set, the Trojans were in complete rhythm, overwhelming Central Crossing 25-9 as the attack, serve pressure and net play all came together.

Calvin Spitznagle led the offense with 11 kills, while Jay Payne added 10 more to give Tree of Life a strong one-two punch at the net. The Trojans were especially impressive on the block, finishing with 12 total blocks, a number that underscored how far the team has come in that area through training. That defensive presence disrupted Central Crossing’s attack and helped turn rallies quickly in Tree of Life’s favor.

One of the most memorable stretches of the night came from Taylor Chou, who stayed on the service line for 20 total serves Friday night. That helped Tree of Life build momentum and keep Central Crossing out of system, and it fit the larger story of the match, a Trojan team that consistently applied pressure and never let the visitors get comfortable. With the new lineup option in place, Tree of Life looked confident and connected across the court.

It was the kind of complete performance teams hope to find heading into the postseason. Tree of Life got standout production from its top hitters, controlled the match with blocking, and used strong serving to create separation in key stretches. To close the regular season with a sweep and such a decisive final set gave the Trojans plenty to celebrate, and the 25-9 finish was a fitting exclamation point.