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Great Bend Middle School 8th-graders capture Dodge City title
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Great Bend’s Kyndall Blessing serves one of her 16 aces during the Dodge City Tournament. The Panthers won the tournament with a 5-0 record.

DODGE CITY — The Great Bend Middle School 8th-grade A volleyball team (15-2) achieved all of its goals while winning the Dodge City Middle School volleyball tournament.

One of Coach Michelle Barber’s goals was for the girls to work on serving consistently, a task the girls accomplished.  The Panthers served 32 aces and missed 14 serves in five matches.

“The girls played solid all day long with incredible passing in addition to the serving,” said Great Bend coach Michelle Barber. “I’m amazed how the girls stepped up to the challenges I gave them.”

After Garden City Horace Good forced a third set, Great Bend outlasted them 15-12, 11-15, 15-12.  

Kyndall Blessing served 20 of the 30 points in a 15-1, 15-7 victory over Dodge City Middle School. The Panthers rolled past Dodge City Comanche,m 15-8, 15-8.

Pratt Liberty Middle School led set one 12-9 and set two 12-6. But each time, the Panthers rallied for a 15-13 first set victory. Rylie Duvall sparked the second-set rally with an eight-point serving run for a 13-12 lead. Katie Kuhlman finished the set for a 15-13 win.  

Garden City Ken Henderson forced the Panthers to a decisive third set. After the Panthers won 15-6, Ken Henderson rallied for a 15-9 win. Blessing’s 10-point service run gave the Panthers a lead and Hailey Peterson finished the last serving points to deliver the Lady Panthers’ second tournament championship.