By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A school-record 31 wins last year. Six seniors from that team gone to graduation. Yet the 2024 Lady Panther volleyball team continues to further its own legacy. Great Bend entered Saturday's substate bracket on its home court with a new school record of 33 wins in a season. The Lady Panthers overcame a 4-point deficit midway through the second set of the championship match against Valley Center to beat the Hornets 25-21, 25-23 and advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2020.
"It's amazing," said senior Kara Feist, who tipped over the match point. "It's just relief seeing everyone rush the floor. Seeing my teammates being able to celebrate, with this particular team, is amazing."
Another school record fell as sophomore Kya Behr entered the championship match just six assists shy of Taryn Kirmer's (Steuder) record for assists in a season. That record fell in Valley Center win.
After a slow start against Goddard in round one, the Lady Panthers largely dominated the first set against Valley Center, which pulled a 2-set upset over Hays to reach the finals. Senior Cassie Ellegood and Behr put down kills for a 4-2 lead, then a kill from Feist and ace from freshman Mikala Minton bumped the gap to 8-5.
Valley Center's school-record holder for blocks had to play a factor. Taylor McDonald, a 6-1 junior, put down one of her trade stuffs to keep the score close at 9-8.
"It was a lot of fun," Ellegood said. "She was definitely the biggest block we've seen and it's a good challenge. It's good to know you're going to have to go out and do your best. There's no slacking in this game."
Sophomores Alex Mayers and Behr put down kills to keep the lead at 14-10, then Ellegood added a pair of aces to push the lead to 16-10. The Lady Panthers needed their sizeable 23-16 lead as the Hornets got as close as 24-20 before Ellegood ended the threat with a kill for a 25-21 first set.
The Lady Panthers played from behind for the first half of the second set. McDonald was just as effective on the offensive side, putting down a pair of kills for a 12-8 Valley Center advantage. Her ace gave the Hornets their largest lead of the match at 14-9.
Then Great Bend buckled down. Ellegood started things off with an ace. The Panthers got two kills each from Mayers and freshman Micah Ellegood, and another from Feist to pull even at 17. In a battle thereafter, Cassie Ellegood put down a kill and a tip from Behr gave Great Bend its first lead in the set since 2-1 at 21-20.
Mayers followed with an ace for a 22-20 lead but McDonald answered with a long kill from the back row for a 23-22 score. Great Bend's seniors were big all day but especially late. Cassie Ellegood put down a kill to set up match point and Feist finished off the substate with a tip.
"We had to keep our heads up and and be leaders on court," said Feist. "We couldn't show any emotion. We just had to cheer everybody up and we did so."
Just five days before Halloween, the Lady Panthers played in front of a raucous crowd at court level and in the stands above. Several members of the Panther football team donned costumes in the lower level.
"Our boys always come out," Ellegood said. "They're loud. They have their army songs. They're good supporters."
"The packed stands up top, too," Feist said. "Everybody was just full of red and black tonight.
Great Bend fell behind 4-1 in the first set of the tournament against Goddard. Junior Ava Kaiser had another big day in the back row, but her two early aces helped the Lady Panthers pull back ahead 18-10 in the first set. Great Bend went on to take the set 25-15.
A pair of aces from Behr gave Great Bend a 12-5 lead early in the second set against Goddard. Junior Kimmy Hofflinger added a late ace and kills from Cassie Ellegood and Minton set up Behr's match-winning tip at 25-15.
Great Bend moves to 35-2 on the season, and the Lady Panthers will take a 27-match win streak into next week's Class 5A State Volleyball Championships in Salina.