Box Score CHANUTE, Kan. -
Jill Starling recorded her first career double-double and the Neosho Panthers battled back after dropping the first two sets to knock off Allen Community College 21-25, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23, 15-8.
The Panthers started sluggish over the first two sets and couldn't get much going offensively against the rival Red Devils. Allen was able to hold the Panthers to just a .042 attack percentage in the first two sets. Despite dropping the second set 25-21, Neosho was only able to muster six kills.
In the third set the Panthers found their rhythm offensively and Starling was the driving force. The freshman tallied racked up seven kills on only 9 attempts in the third set for an impressive .778 attack percentage. She also notched four digs and a pair of aces as the Panthers cruised to a 25-16 win in the third set.
The fourth set would be much tighter with Allen finally pulling ahead 18-15 forcing a Panther timeout. The Panthers scored five of the next 7 points to tie the game at 20. The teams would trade points before a service error by the Panthers gave Allen a 23-22 lead.
Starling once again rose to the occasion with a huge kill to tie the match at 23 and
Carolina Alfonso followed with a kill to put the Panthers on top. They would take the next point to grab the game 25-23 and force game five. Alfonso and Starling were the driving forces in the fourth as the duo combined for 14 of the Panthers 19 kills.
In the fifth set Neosho grabbed the early lead and never let go. Once they opened up the lead to 11-4 Allen called a timeout but it couldn't stop the momentum and the Panthers completed the comeback with a 15-8 win.
Starling recorded career highs in kills (24), attempts (50), attack percentage (.400), aces (3), digs (13), and blocks (3). Alfonso was the only other Panther to reach double figures with 10 kills.
Brea May and
Katie Pettis also had career highs, May with 44 assists, and Pettis with 24 digs in the win.
The Panthers improve to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Jayhawk Conference play, and even their record in five set matches at 1-1. The next action for the Panthers will be Wednesday, September 10 when they travel to take on No. 3 Johnson County Community College. The Panthers will play their next 11 matches away from home before returning home September 24 to host No. 2 ranked Cowley College.
