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Panther volleyball finishes 2nd at WAC Tournament
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Valarie Luna soars and spikes the volleyball against Phillipsburg on Tuesday night. - photo by Hugo Gonzalez

Panthers finish as WAC runner-up

LIBERAL – Great Bend volleyball coach Shelly Duvall was confident 2022 was the year the Panthers would capture an elusive Western Athletic Conference volleyball championship.

Duvall was nearly right.

But Liberal used homecourt advantage to rally past the Panthers 18-25, 27-25, 25-23 in a thrilling 3-set championship match that determined the WAC champion. It was Liberal’s first WAC volleyball championship since 2008.

"Liberal was an intense match," said Great Bend coach Shelly Duvall. "That's the best volleyball we've played all season,  which is what you want as a coach. We were at our best Saturday. We had the opportunity to take that win."

The Panthers had one match point in the second set before Liberal pulled out the victory that prepares both teams for postseason play.

"At the end of the third set, Liberal came out on top," Duvall said. "I couldn't ask for anything more from our girls. They held their heads high and were respectful. That's what we want to see." 

The Panthers downed Dodge City, Hays High and Garden City to make the championship match against Liberal.

"We started off slow and things weren't clicking against Dodge City," Duvall said. "Dodge City played its best volleyball. Luckily, we came out ahead on that match. Our energy level changed against Hays. We played well against them.

Great Bend (19-14) will play Goddard Eisenhower in Saturday's Hutchinson 5A volleyball substate. Eisenhower downed the Panthers 25-16, 16-25, 25-13. Hutchinson has swept the Panthers 25-18, 25-23 and 25-22, 25-13.

"We'll have to play the best we've played. Momentum, wise, we're at our best point," Duvall said. "We win and lose as a team. Mentally, were in the best position we can be," Duvall said. "Hutchinson has a great game and is extremely talented. We get better when we play them."

WAC CHAMPIONSHIP

1—Liberal 4-0; 2—Great Bend 3-1; 3—Garden City 2-2; 4—Hays High 1-3; 5—Dodge City 0-4

Liberal def. Great Bend, 18-25, 27-25, 25-23;  Liberal def. Garden City, 25-23, 11-25, 25-22; Liberal def. Hays, 25-14, 25-23; Liberal def. Dodge City, 25-12, 25-15; Great Bend def. Garden City, 25-19, 25-12; Great Bend def. Hays, 25-14, 25-12; Great Bend def. Dodge City, 25-22, 28-30, 25-15; Garden City def. Hays, 25-19, 25-12; Garden City def. Dodge City, 25-10, 25-10; Hays def. Dodge City, 25-21, 25-20