STERLING, Kan. — York lost to Sterling College 3-1 on Tuesday, with set scores of 25-19, 19-25, 15-25, 14-25. The Panthers finished with 38 kills and a .060 hitting percentage, compared with 52 kills and a .220 percentage for Sterling College.
York steadied the opening set after Sterling College closed to 20-18, responding with kills from
Isidora Diaz Aguirre and
Madilyn De La Garza before a
Gabriella Ayazo-
Jassania Joseph block helped push the lead to 24-18. After Sterling College got one point back, Joseph finished the set with a kill from
Meadow Nusbaum for a 25-19 Panthers win.
York's main push in the second set came after it trailed 11-5, winning seven straight rallies to move ahead 12-11, with
Valentina Jimenez serving for six of those points.
Florencia Felmer put down kills for the 11-11 tie and 12-11 lead, and the Panthers later pulled even again at 16-16 before Sterling College closed out the set 25-19.
York fell into a 12-6 hole in the third set after Sterling College broke from a 6-6 score with six straight points. The Panthers answered later with a
Leyra Ruiz kill, two Felmer kills and a Nusbaum ace to move from 8-16 to 12-16. Sterling kept York from getting closer and took the set 25-15.
The Panthers erased an early 4-2 deficit in the fourth set, using a Diaz Aguirre kill and four straight points on
Ambar Ortiz's serve, including an ace, to move ahead 6-4. York later got back even at 11-11 on a block by Diaz Aguirre and Ruiz, but Sterling College answered with five straight points to build a 16-11 lead. Sterling closed out the set 25-14.
Felmer led the Panthers with 11 kills, adding an ace and four digs. Jimenez recorded a team-high 20 digs and added an ace.
Ambar Ortiz collected 17 digs, four assists and a team-best two service aces. Nusbaum finished with a team-high 16 assists, six digs and one ace.
Up next, York travels to Springfield, Mo., to face Evangel (Mo.) on Saturday, Oct. 10, at noon.
