The Pekin Panthers volleyball team fought valiantly in a dramatic five-set match against Hillcrest Academy on Thursday, September 18th, but ultimately came up short in a heartbreaking finish, losing 25-21, 15-25, 25-20, 18-25, 13-15.
The loss moves Pekin to 3-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play, while Hillcrest Academy improved to 10-4 overall and 3-1 in conference standings.
Even in defeat, the Panthers showcased a well-distributed offensive attack led by Paislee Coleman’s 13 kills. The team effort continued with Reece Brisby and Mya Glick each contributing eight kills, while Kendra Schultz added seven kills to round out the scoring leaders. Carlie Gambell had an outstanding performance running the Panthers’ offense, dishing out 31 assists.
The Panthers accumulated 48 total kills as a team, though they were hampered by 22 kill errors throughout the match.
The Panthers’ defensive effort was led by Payten Coleman, who recorded nine digs in the match. Ezra Parsons and Paislee Coleman each contributed seven digs, with Gambell adding five to help keep rallies alive throughout the contest.
At the net, the Panthers managed 6 total blocks, with Gambell and Brisby each recording two blocks. Glick and Paislee Coleman each added one block in the defensive effort.
Despite recording 7 aces throughout the match, Pekin struggled with consistency from the service line, posting just a 77.7% serving efficiency – below their season average of 83.71%. Paislee Coleman and Gambell each contributed two aces, while Parsons, Payten Coleman, and Glick each added one ace.
The Panthers will have an immediate chance for redemption as they head to the Cardinal Volleyball Invitational tomorrow, September 20th, at Cardinal. Their schedule includes a rematch with Hillcrest Academy at 9 AM, followed by a matchup against Moulton-Udell at 10 AM. The quick turnaround gives Pekin an opportunity to bounce back from this tough loss, with the experience gained from this five-set battle potentially proving valuable in future close matches.
