Box Score CHANUTE, KS -- The Neosho County Community College Panther volleyball team only trailed once during Tuesday afternoon's season opener against Wentworth Military Academy.
The visitors put up the first point of the match, but the Panthers owned the remainder of the 3-0 (25-10, 25-15 and 25-9) victory.
"A win's nice, but we still have plenty of stuff to work on," Coach Asya Herron said.
An attack error on Wentworth followed by a block point by sophomore Rianne Richard handed Neosho County a 2-1 advantage in the first set.
Freshman Kalyn Bitner took over late in the first set, scoring three kills to push the Panther advantage to 19-9.
Bitner carried that momentum over into the second set, knocking home two more kills to help NCCC to an early 4-1 lead.
"She's going to be great," Herron said of her 6-foot, 1-inch freshman. "She is a super hard-worker. She is excited about the game and gets better everyday. I can tell her to do anything, and she'll make an immediate change."
Bitner pushed the Panther advantage to nine with another kill and a block point en route to a 25-15 set two win.
In the third set, Neosho County raced out to a 7-1 lead to complete the three-set sweep.
Bitner, a Southeast High School product, led the Panthers with eight kills, as Neosho County tallied 39 for the match.
The Panthers will be back in action Friday and Saturday at the Greyhound Invitational in Fort Scott. Neosho County will open play at 3 pm against Independence Community College.
"We usually have already played in a tournament before we start playing during the week," Herron concluded. "It's nice, one, playing at home but also getting them some experience before we go into this weekend in Fort Scott."