HAYS -- Great Bend's volleyball team (3-1) lost a three-way tiebreaker for first place after tying with champion Garden City (3-1) and runner-up Liberal (3-1) in Saturday's Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
"The Panther volleyball team had a great opportunity at the WAC Tournament this year and finished the day 3-1 with a loss to tournament champ Garden City," said Great Bend coach Kelsey Perry. "Due to a three way tie after Liberal beat Garden, Great Bend ended up with third place. That part was pretty disappointing. To go 3-1 and only lose to the champs, who are a very strong hitting and blocking team, and then end up with third hurts."
Great Bend was pushed to three sets against Hays and Liberal and that cost the Panthers in the tiebreaker.
"Against Liberal we should have gotten it done in two," Against Hays we were up and down after senior middle hitter Kate Warren went down with an ankle injury and junior Libero Baylee Beck went out with a back injury. Those are two key players for us. We moved players and that took time to get going. We got a glimpse of what the team will look like next year and that is very promising."
Perry said Sidney Meitner came up big in a reserve role off the bench for a record-setting performance.
It was great. Junior hitter Sidney Meitner hit .750 against Hays. We have never had a player so that in a match since I have been here," Perry said. "The entire team stepped up and played very well when we were short. Our setters were all over the place. Camryn Dunekack took over 100 swings today, and our defensive players covered the floor well. To get that confidence was excellent for us."
Kate Warren broke the career Blocks record today. She currently has 400 blocks. This breaks the current mark set by Brenna Haines at 391.
"This was a goal of Kate's and to see her do that, before going down against Garden, was exciting. Hopefully we can get her back on the court at regionals," Perry said.
Great Bend plays at Hoisington Tuesday with Dodge City. Class 5A regionals will be at Arkansas City next Saturday.

STATS
Baylee Beck-40 digs; Camryn Dunekack - 46 digs, 52 kills; Baleigh Fry-16 digs, 1 ace; Alyssa Herter-2 aces, 9 digs, 1 block, 35 assists, 2 kills; Jenna Mauler-61 assists,3 aces, 29 digs; Sidney Meitner - 6 aces, 26 digs,22 kills, 1 stuff block, 5 blocks; Olivia Mull - 7 kills, 1 block, 12 digs; Kendal Sell - 14 digs; Kate Warren-17 kills, 3 stuff blocks, 6 blocks, 1 ace,4 digs; Trista Wilt-1 ace, 17 digs, 12 kills, 4 stuff blocks, 12 blocks GB def. liberal 25-20,24-26,26-24 GB def. Dodge 25-13,25-21 Garden City def. Great Bend, 25-18, 25-16 GB def. Hays 21-25, 25-15,25-17