Concordia Volleyball Team Goes 1-4 at Southeast of Saline Tournament
In their first three matches at the Southeast of Saline Tournament on Saturday, September 10th, the Concordia High School Volleyball team lost to the Southeast of Saline Trojans, the Hillsboro Trojans and the Circle Thunderbirds in straight sets. The Panthers would then bounce back to win their only match of the tournament against the Abilene Cowgirls in a two-set victory, before losing a close three-set battle with the Salina South Cougars.
In the first match of the day, Concordia suffered a close, two-set loss to Southeast of Saline, 20-25, 23-25. Junior Carlie Carlgren scored 4 points, 6 kills and 6 digs. Sophomore Taylor McDaniel had 6 kills and 8 digs. Senior Shaelin Giersch posted 3 kills, 1 block and 2 digs. Junior Callie Parker had 3 kills and 2 blocks. Sophomore Kenlee Williams added 2 kills and 1 block. Sophomore Kinsleigh Bethune ended up with 7 points with 1 ace and 6 digs. Junior Hattie Blackwood had 5 points with 1 ace and 6 digs, while Senior Hanna Acree had 3 points and a team-high 13 digs.
The Panthers then fell to the top-ranked team in Class 3A, Hillsboro, in straight sets, 17-25, 12-25. Acree had 5 points and 5 digs in the match. Giersch finished with 4 kills and 2 digs. McDaniel posted 2 kills and 3 digs. Williams had 2 kills. Carlgren ended up with 2 points and 5 digs. Parker finished with 2 points with 1 ace, 7 kills and 3 blocks. Blackwood added 2 points and 9 digs, while Freshman Kynlee Hamel had 1 kill and 1 block.
Concordia closed out pool play with a two-set defeat at the hands of Circle, 18-25, 17-25. Carlgren had 7 kills, 8 digs and 2 points. Parker finished with 6 kills, 1 block, 2 points and 1 dig. Giersch posted 5 kills and 2 blocks. McDaniel had 2 kills, 4 digs and 2 points. Acree turned in 6 digs and 2 points. Williams added 2 kills and 1 block. Bethune finished with 4 digs and 1 kill, while Blackwood had 7 digs.
In the consolation bracket, Concordia exacted revenge from a September 1st two-set loss to Abilene by beating the Cowgirls in straight sets, 25-19, 25-19. Carlgren led the way with 4 points, 12 kills and 15 digs. McDaniel had 5 points, 7 kills and 9 digs. Parker finished with 6 points with 3 aces, 7 kills, 2 blocks and 3 digs. Acree posted 4 points and 14 digs. Giersch had 4 points and 3 kills. Blackwood ended up with 3 points, 7 digs and 1 block. Williams added 1 kill, while Bethune had 2 digs in the win.
To conclude the tournament, Concordia fell in three-sets to Salina South, 24-26, 26-24, 23-25. McDaniel had 4 points, 11 kills, 11 digs and 1 block. Carlgren finished with 5 points, 10 kills, 17 digs and 1 block. Acree had 3 points with 2 aces and 25 digs. Blackwood posted 19 points with 1 ace, 3 kills and 14 digs. Parker chipped in 6 points with 6 kills and 3 blocks. Williams added 4 kills, 3 blocks and 2 digs, while Giersch finished with 6 points with 4 kills, 3 digs and 1 block.
The Panthers will host their 2022 home opener on Thursday, September 22nd to face off against the Marysville Bulldogs in North Central Kansas League play. The first match of the double dual begins at 5:15 pm.