IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- The Ellsworth volleyball squad battled back from an early 2-0 deficit, but lost the deciding set to visiting Northeast (Neb.) CC Wednesday night in Ditmer Gym. The Panthers showed great tenacity in digging out of the early hole. However, they couldn't hold on to an early 7-1 lead in the 5th set and Northeast scored the final two points to wrap up the victory. The Hawks took the first two sets, 25-12 and 25-14, and the Panthers countered with 25-21 and 26-24 decisions, before NCC finiished off the win by a 15-13 score.
Northeast scored the first 12 points of the match in the opening set and coasted to easy wins in the initial two sets. Ellsworth recovered by taking a 9-4 advantage in set three and then pulled away from a 16-all deadock. There were 15 ties and 5 lead changes in the next set with the Panthers sending the match to a decisive set on a Haley Forge kill. It was ECC's first five-set match of the season.
The Panthers accumulated 106 digs, the most for an ECC team since they had 118 against the Grand View junior varsity in 2017. Gabi Damiano led the way with a whopping 34 digs. Jada Smith added 19, Haley Forge had 17 and Nuria Bravo Santos 10. Eight of the nine players who saw action had at least four digs.
Damiano also led at the net with 14 kills. Louise Lion had 11 and Emma Rosonke 10. ECC got 19 assists apiece from Hanna Forge and Bravo Santos and Haley and Hanna Forge each served two aces.
The Panthers are idle until they take on Hawkeye CC at home on Sept. 22.
Photo courtesy of the Time Citizen. For more visit http://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc/
