IOLA, Kan. – Jill Starling led the way as the Neosho Panthers won three of four games at the Allen Invitational to improve their record to 10-6 on the season. The Panthers lone loss over the weekend came to No. 15 Fort Scott Community College in a non-conference match.
 
The Panthers entered the weekend coming off a resounding 3-0 win on the road at Highland Community College. Friday afternoon they continued their dominance with a 3-0 win over Independence Community College taking the match 25-9, 25-16, 25-16.
 
Katy Rhodd's eight kills led a balanced attack that saw six different Panthers with multiple kills. The match was the first in the Panthers last seven that Jill Starling failed to reach double figures in kills as well as snapping her streak of double-doubles.
 
The second match of the day would prove to be a different story. The Panthers struggled offensively against the 15^th ranked Greyhounds of Fort Scott. Neosho hit just .124 for the match while the Greyhounds hit .306 to down the Panthers in straight sets25-14, 25-16, 25-15.
 
Starling led the Panthers with nine kills, but failed to reach double figures in back to back games for the first time since the opening weekend.
 
Saturday morning the Panthers would get back on the right track against Dodge City Community College. Neosho took down the Conquistadors 25-18, 26-24, 25-16. Starling also got back on track offensively tallying 15 kills while committing just three errors for a .414 hitting percentage.
 
A number of Panthers were very efficient offensively as Peyton Peavey; 7 kills, .353, Annelle Anderson; 6 kills, and .417, Brea May; 5 kills, .556 helped the Panthers to a .281 hitting percentage which was the second best mark of the season.  Starling also dug out 15 balls to lead 3 Panthers in double figures to notch her seventh double-double of the season.
 
The final match of the weekend would be the first time the Panthers played more than three sets. Neosho dropped the opening set to Southeast Community College 25-23. They would bounce back and take the second 25-14 and the third 25-13 before falling in the fourth set 25-23 to force a deciding fifth set. The Panthers won the set 15-9 to improve to 3-1 on the season in matches that went to 5 sets.
 
Starling had a monster game for the Panthers racking up 19 kills; the second most in her career, while also tallying a career best 35 digs. Mackenzie Brown also had a big game with career highs for kills, 13, attempts, 31, and hitting percentage, .387 while also tallying 10 digs for her first career double-double. Katy Rhodd was the only other Panther to reach double-figures in kills with 13, just missing a double-double with 8 digs.
 
Neosho improves to 10-6 on the season with the 3-1 weekend. They will look to ride their hot streak into a mid-week game Monday at MCC-Longview before returning home on September 24 when they host No. 11 Cowley College (10-5, 4-0) at 6:30pm.