Mediapolis gets best of Panthers

MEDIAPOLIS ? Slow starts kept the Pekin volleyball team from pulling off an upset bid in a 25-17, 25-15, 25-9 loss to SEISC north rival Mediapolis on Tuesday.

?The girls started off slow the first two sets but fought back aggressively,? said Pekin coach Ashley Bartels. ?In the third set they started off slow again and couldn?t execute.?

Maranda Baker led the offense with seven kills. Leslie Stone had 13 assists and eight digs, and both Tiana Slaney and Jacinta Cooley finished the match with a pair of aces. Emily Adam dug up six balls, while Madelyn Baker came through with five digs.

Going forward, Bartels hopes her players can cut back on the number of errors in the early going.

?We need to take care of the ball on our side more effectively at the beginning of sets,? the coach said. ?Once we do that, everything else will come together.?

The Panthers return home for a matchup against Winfield-Mount Union on Thursday.