CHANUTE, Kan. – The Neosho Panthers (12-12, 3-4) saw their record fall to .500 for the first time since a 1-1 start to the season after finishing just 1-3 at the 2014 Panther Invite.
 
The Panther opened the tournament with a tough five set loss to Marshalltown (IA). The Panthers dropped the opening set 26-24 but responded with close wins in the second and third 25-23 and 25-22. The fourth set was also close but Neosho would end up on the short end falling 25-21 to force the decisive fifth set.  Marshalltown would complete the comeback as they took the fifth set 15-12.
 
Jill Starling and Mackenzie Brown led the Panther offense. Starling finished with a team high 14 kills while hitting .333 and Brown had 10 kills on a .409 hitting percentage. Starling also finished with 15 digs for her 10^th double-double of the season.
 
Neosho would respond well in their second match of the day knocking off Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in straight sets. The Panthers won the first set comfortably 25-19 but struggled to take the second set 25-23 despite hitting just .143 and committing nine hitting errors. The third would see the offense get back on track, hitting .370 and committing only 3 errors.
 
Brown led the Panthers with 10 kills and an outstanding .476 hitting percentage. Katy Rhodd finished with nine kills and a team high 12 digs and Korissa White notched her first career double-double as she dished out 14 assists to go with 10 digs.
 
The Panthers first match Saturday was a nightmare offensively for the Panthers. Neosho committed a season high 29 errors hitting as they hit just .079 as a team. The Panthers took the first set 25-22 despite 11 errors, but dropped the next three sets 25-21, 25-23, 25-15.
 
Starling and Brown led the Panthers with eight kills each but combined for 10 errors as four different Panthers ended the match with a negative hitting percentage. Katy Rhodd had a career high 23 digs in the loss.
 
The tournament would come to a close with a loss to Oklahoma Baptist in straight sets as the offensive struggles continued. The Panthers hit just .094 for the match while committing 22 hitting errors in the three set match. The Bison would down the Panthers 25-13, 25-21, 25-21 to drop Neosho to 12-12 on the year.
 
Katy Rhodd was the bright spot for the Panther offense in the final match as she has 12 kills while hitting .333.
 
The Panthers will be back in action Wednesday (Oct. 8) when they host Coffeyville Community College. The match is Breast Cancer Awareness night and fans are encouraged to wear pink while a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the cancer fight. Immediately following the match will the Panther Madness 2014 and fans can check out the men's and women's basketball teams as well as the Panther Spirit Squad.