The Pekin Panthers showcased heart, hustle, and development during a packed night of volleyball action Monday at the WACO Tournament, where they faced off in 3 straight matches against Van Buren County, WACO, and Centerville to start the season. The Panthers picked up a strong win over host WACO and competed tough in matches against 2 aggressive teams in Van Buren County and Centerville.
Match 1: Van Buren County 2, Pekin 0
Set Scores: 21–9, 21–9
Pekin opened the night against a sharp Van Buren County squad. Though the final scores leaned towards Van Buren County, the Panthers showed fight and laid the groundwork for their later success.
Paislee Coleman led the offense with 4 kills, supported by Kendra Schultz and Reece Brisby. Carlie Gambell dished out all 7 assists, while Payten and Paislee Coleman led the defense with 4 digs each.
Coleman, Gambell, Katelynn Schultz, and Taylor Moore all served at 100%, demonstrating confidence from the line.
Match 2: Pekin 2, WACO 0
Set Scores: 21–16, 21–18
The Panthers responded in a big way during the second match of the night, powering past WACO in 2 well-fought sets. The team leaned on strong serving, consistent offense, and smart play to earn the win.
Paislee Coleman again led the team with 7 kills, hitting at an excellent .455 efficiency, while Moore added 5 kills and Brisby chipped in 3. Gambell set up the offense with 14 assists and added a block on defense.
Serving was again a huge weapon for Pekin. The team served at a 90% efficiency rate with 5 total aces. Brisby and Paislee Coleman each served at a perfect 100%, while Payten Coleman tallied 2 of the aces.
Defensively, Payten Coleman led the way with 5 digs, and Gambell and Brisby added 3 apiece. It was a total team win, built on steady execution and energy on both sides of the ball.
Match 3: Centerville 2, Pekin 1
Set Scores: 21–15, 17–21, 15–6
In their 3rd and final match of the night, the Panthers pushed a tough Centerville squad to 3 sets. After taking the 1st set, Pekin fell just short in a hard-fought 2nd set and couldn’t quite recapture the momentum in the 3rd. Still, it was a match filled with solid play to end the night.
Paislee Coleman led the offense again with 6 kills, followed closely by Moore and Brisby with 4 apiece. Gambell tallied another 12 assists, continuing her strong setting throughout the tournament.
From the service line, Pekin was again sharp — totaling 3 aces and serving with an excellent 91.1% team efficiency. Parsons recorded 2 aces, and Gambell, Brisby, and Paislee Coleman were perfect from the line.
Defensively, the Panthers picked up 15 digs, led by Gambell and Payten Coleman. Paislee also added a block and a solo dig, showing her all-around impact on the match.
