Panther Volleyball Takes Down #2 Team in State

What a start to the 2021-22 volleyball season for head coach Drew Colvin and his team, as they knock of the #2 ranked team in the state by a score of 3-2.

With a whopping 12 new players on the roster, one could have assumed that the team might get off to a slow start. With just under 3 weeks of practice under their belts, the ladies of the panther volleyball team stepped up in a big way, controlling the game from the onset. Palm Beach made a statement early, taking the first two sets from visiting South Florida State College.

After initially controlling set number three, South Florida called a timeout to try and cool of some of the momentum that the Panthers had, as they were close to sealing a 3-0 victory. That timeout proved worthwhile, as South Florida rallied back to claim set three in convincing fashion. South Florida then carried that momentum into set four, and the Panthers found themselves under seige. At times in set four, it seemed as though the visitors could not make a mistake. Perfect ball placement and newfound confidence found Palm Beach on their heels, searching for answers.

Impressively, Palm Beach never lost their cool. They believed from the get-go that they could win the match -- and win they did. The ladies came out firing on all cylinders in the deciding fifth set, controlling the play from the beginning. With momentum back in their favor, the Panthers never looked back as they took the fifth set decisively -- 15-7.

Notable performances include, Hailey Hart, a sophomore transfer from Young Harris College, who led the team with 19.5 points, including a team-high 17 kills. Freshman Dena Otte, who in her first collegiate game, had a number of key kills that crossed across the court leaving visiting players baffled. She finished with a total of 9 kills, good enough for third on the team. Bianca Justamante, sister of former panther volleyball player Gaby Justamante, excelled in her first collegiate match. She finished 2nd on the team in kills with 10, including 17 total attacks. Defensively, the Panthers received strong performances from Darlenis Medina, Hailey Hart, and Natalie Faulkner. Each had double-digit DIG totals. Medina made several fantastic diving plays and her presence could be felt throughout the game. Lastly, we couldn't leave out the fantastic setting performance by Natalie Faulkner, who led the team with 46 assists. 

The Panthers will rest up over the weekend before they start a busy week of play on Monday, starting off with a familiar foe -- the Eastern Florida Titans. Palm Beach takes on Eastern Florida at 6:00 pm at home.

#GoPanthers