Great Bend Post Sports
The No. 9 Lady Panther volleyball team pushed its win streak to 21 matches with a pair of victories in Smith Center Tuesday night. Now 29-2 on the season, Great Bend is currently ahead of top-ranked Topeka-Seaman as the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A West substate standings. Three teams in the west have just two losses.
Perennially-tough Smith Center had posted a 122-13 record over the past three seasons, including a 43-win state championship season in 2021. The Lady Red have won just nine matches this year and dropped Tuesday's contest to Great Bend 25-17, 25-6.
Lady Panther freshman Mikala Minton had the big match offensively with eight kills. Senior Kara Feist added five, and the Ellegoods - senior Cassie and freshman Micah - each finished with four. Sophomore Kya Behr finished with 22 assists. The Lady Panther blockers had one of their best showings of the season. Feist led the charge with five, followed by Micah Ellegood with four and Cassie Ellegood with three. Junior Ava Kaiser led the back row with 11 digs followed by Minton with six.
Great Bend defeated Phillipsburg 25-18, 25-16. Sophomore Alex Mayers led the attack with nine kills, followed by Cassie Ellegood with seven and Behr with six. Behr also added 23 assists to her growing career total. Micah Ellegood had four blocks and Minton paced the back row with 10 digs. Mayers and Behr each added nine digs and Kaiser finished with seven.
The Lady Panthers head to the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Garden City on Saturday to wrap up the regular season.