YORK - The Panthers wasted no time in giving their homecoming crowd a reason to cheer. York jumped out early on Sterling and won in straight sets 25-20, 25-19, 25-19.

Bailey Johnson (JR/Chico. Calif) picked up two quick kills to start off the game and the Panthers never looked back. York went up 23-16 before Sterling made a little bit of a comeback to force head coach Crystal Nething into a timeout at 23-20. After a few words in the huddle the Panthers finished off the set with a kill by Kayli Riesgo (SR/Tuscon, Ariz) and a bad set by the Warriors.

The second set saw some of the same as a back-and-forth game had the crowd attentive. The Panthers trailed much of the second set but never by more than two points. After a kill by Shiloh Lively (SO/Las Vegas, Nev) put the Panthers up 19-18 the Panthers took off. Bailey Johnson had three kills in the final six points as York won 25-19 in game two.

In the third set the game was knotted 9-9 before the Panthers extended their lead and held control. York went on a 9-2 run to lead 18-11. A few more points each way and the score was 23-19. Lively finished another attack for match point and then Riesgo served an ace to finish off the sweep for the Panthers.

Johnson led the Panthers with 12 kills on the night while Rose Tafaoialii (JR/Magna, Utah) had eight kills with just one attack error. Lively added eight kills as well, and Haley Scoffield (SR/Casper, Wyo) had seven. Riesgo had a team-high 34 assists while four players had double figures in digs. Jasmine Scarbrough (FR/Arlington, Texas) led the team with 13 digs, Naomi Warren (JR/Fort Worth, Texas) and Emma Peters (JR/Omaha, Neb) added 12 each, with Kaylin Miller (FR/Lincoln, Neb) rounding it out with 10.

York will host Bethel College on Wednesday night with the first serve set for 6:00 p.m.