By Marissa VanWingen, The Times Citizen
mvanwingen@iafalls.com
Ellsworth Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College may have been tied in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference standings heading into Thursday night's match, but there was a clear better team on the floor.
The Panthers (17-10, 5-4) brought out the broom for the 11th time this season and with the 25-21, 25-13, 25-15 league win.
The lone Lakers (10-23, 4-5) lead in the opening game was early on, on top 3-1. ECC knotted the score on a Juliana Nunez/Elitsa Peneva double block and then held the advantage with a Taylor Ross stop at the net. The two were even one more time, 6-6, before the Panthers stepped on the gas. Leading 10-8, the hosts scored six in a row, including a Nunez ace, to pull out ahead by seven. ECC would never relinquish the advantage, winning 25-21 on a Peneva dump over the net.
The Panthers carried that momentum into the second game and jumped out to a 4-0 lead, which included an ace by Peneva. Iowa Lakes would cut the difference to three but Ana Cuartero's kill, another block by Ross and a Nunez ace made it a seven-point spread once again. A Ross spike extended the lead to 20-12 as ECC went on another scoring run, with five in a row – and back-to-back Ross points to set up set point. A Laker service error won it for the hosts 25-21.
Iowa Lakes was down just 4-3 when the Panthers went off again. With Gabby Burton serving, she had two free points and another run of Ross kills made it 9-3. The lead would reach 11 with a Cuartero tip and then kill that went off the Laker block made it 18-7. There was nothing the visitors could do against ECC's offensive attack, as a Cuartero kill won it 25-14.
The Panthers are now 7-1 in Dittmer Gymnasium with one home match remaining. Currently, there's still a three way tie for fifth place, with the Panthers, Western Iowa Tech and Southeastern all at 5-4. ECC defeated the Comets and close out the regular season at the Blackhawks.
The Panthers home finale is Oct. 23 versus 11th place Southwestern.
ICCAC Volleyball
Thursday at Iowa Falls
IL: 21| 13| 14
ECC: 25| 25| 25
ECC Stats Unavailable