ESTHERVILLE, IOWA -- With a trip to the Region XI postseason tournament on the line, the Ellsworth volleyball team couldn't overcome a 2-0 deficit and dropped a 3-1 decision to Iowa Lakes Wednesday night.  A win would have earned the Panthers a spot in the postseason region playoffs, but they were beaten by an Iowa Lakes team that, instead, will extend its season with the victory.  It was the 4th time in as many meetings the Lakers defeated the Panthers in the 2021 campaign.

Iowa Lakes took the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-14.  ECC battled back to win set 3 26-24 and battled all the way to the end in set 4 before ILCC pulled it out, 25-23.

Gabi Damiano closed out her sophomore season with an outstanding individual performance, leading the Panthers in kills with 15  -- a season high -- in digs with 19 and in ace serves with three.  Hanna Forge, another soph, topped ECC with 15 assists; Nuria Bravo Santos added 12 assists.  Alondra Acevedo had her best passing match of the year with 17 digs.  And Emma Rosonke added three more blocks to her single-season ECC record, getting 3 to up her season total to 107.

The Panthers close the season with a 9-22 record.