IOLA – Neosho County Community College volleyball Coach Asya Herron has stressed to her team in recent days the importance of controlling the pace of play.
The Panthers took a step in the right direction of accomplishing that Tuesday evening with a 3-1 (25-13, 25-16, 24-26 and 25-15) win over rival Allen County Community College Tuesday evening in Iola to begin play in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
"Having Rianne (Richard) back gave us a little more confidence to set an in tempo shoot to the outside," Herron said. "She's going to pass a little faster ball, too. It helped us as they weren't able to keep up with our pace."
Allen County scored the first two points of the first set, but the rest of set belonged to the Panthers.
Back-to-back kills by sophomore Mandi Taylor and freshman Kayln Bitner tied the game at two apiece.
The scores were the start of an 11-2 run by Neosho County.
"They were giving us a high ball on the outside, so it gave us an opportunity to go close on the block," Herron said.
The second set was much the same, as the Panthers raced out to a 7-1 advantage behind a pair of kills and a block point by sophomore Riley McGinn.
"The middle is so hard to stop," Herron explained.
"There are so many angles to attack to. My middles are learning that it's not always the hardest hit that will get them the point. It can be the one in the deep corner, the roll shot or the tip around the block that can get them a point, as well."
However, the tide turned in the third set as the Panthers fell behind 5-2, but two straight errors by Allen County allowed the visitors to inch their way back into the set and tie the score at seven apiece.
The score remained tied until sophomore Kylie Foster recorded one of her eight kills to spark a 5-0 spurt, forcing the Red Devils to call a timeout trailing 17-12.
Allen County stormed back out of the break and tied the game at 17 following a serving ace.
"Rianne is still struggling with her ankle, so we went back to the lineups that we ran last week that we did pretty well with, and it didn't go so great for us," Herron said. "There were several places where we gave them a four-point run. Anytime, you give up eight points in a row, they are going to battle with you."
From that point, it was back and forth with four lead changes and ties over the remainder of the third, but it was the Red Devils who scored the final two points to keep their hopes alive.
The Panthers came back in the fourth, taking advantage of a couple errors to jump out to a 7-2 lead, and Allen County never came within three points the remainder of the match.
McGinn led Neosho County with 13 kills and five blocks. Foster added eight kills and Bitner seven.
The Panthers (4-3 overall and 1-0 in the KJCCC) travel to Temple, Texas for the Temple Temple Invitational schedule, where Neosho County will play six games in two days.
"We excited about it," Herron said. "It will be nice to see some non-conference teams and see some good competition. We are hoping to take care of our side and play nice, controlled volleyball."
