Kicking off NCKL competition in the home opener versus NCKL foe Wamego, the Concordia High School volleyball team fell in both matches to the Red Raiders.
In match one, the Panthers fell 2-0.
Set one opened to a close duel between the two teams, with Wamego holding the early advantage 10-8. Concordia tried their best to break through and take the lead, including tying the match at multiple points. After the Panthers tied the game at 25-25, Wamego scored two straight points to take a 27-25 set one win.
The Panthers opened set two by taking the early 5-1 lead, before Wamego kicked into gear and built a 20-8 lead. Concordia was able to claw their way back to cut into the lead, making it 23-19 with an 11-3 run, but back-to-back points would give the Red Raiders the first match of the evening.
Avery Kueker led in kills with seven; Marlee VanMeter and Morgan Lister both had five; Stella Trost had two; Skylah Garst had one. Garst had 18 assists, and Rubi Trost had one. Stella led in digs with 11; VanMeter had 10; Lister had seven; Kueker had five; Garst had four; Oakleigh Teel had three; Rubi Trost and Lili Brooks each had one.
In match two, the Panthers fell 2-1.
In set one, the match opened competitively, with the match tied 8-8 and the Panthers leading 11-10, but Wamego took the lead 17-12 before the Panthers tied it up 17-17 and later 23-23. Concordia would score back-to-back points and take set one 25-23.
Wamego held the early advantage in set two, before the Panthers took the lead 8-7. Both teams would go back and forth, exchanging points before Wamego was able to pull away and take a 20-15 lead. Concordia was able to cut into the lead and make it 21-20 Wamego, but eventually dropped the set 25-20.
Set three opened to another close back-and-forth match, once again with Wamego holding the early advantage. The Panthers would keep Wamego from pulling away multiple times, getting the lead down to one at several points, but were unable to tie the game or take the lead. After trailing 21-15, Concordia was able to get within striking distance and make it 24-23 Wamego, but the Red Raiders took the set and match 25-23 to defeat the Panthers.
Kueker led in kills with 10; VanMeter had nine; Stella Trost had seven; Lister have five; Teel had one. Garst led in assists with 27; Rubi Trost and Lister each had one. Stella Trost led in digs with 14; VanMeter had 10; Kueker had nine; Garst had eight. Rubi Trost and Lister had four; Teel had three; Brooks had two.
