By Marissa VanWingen

From the beginning the match between Ellsworth Community College and Southeastern Community College had all the making of a five setter and that's exactly how it played out with the Blackhawks winning 25-23, 25-16, 26-28, 20-25, 16-14.

The two were even 13 times in the opening game. The Panthers (15-14, 4-6) was on top 23-22 on an Anthea Deweer kill but SCC evened the score at 23-23. A hitting error and then Blackhawk tip ended it (25-23).

ECC built a decent lead early in the second, on top by as many as four on a Juliana Nunez hit (7-3). The visitors came back to take the 9-8 lead and were on a 6-0 run to go on top for good, winning it 25-16 and putting the Panthers behind 0-2.

The momentum shifted back and forth in the third game, with both teams going on runs. ECC started out hot and scored four in a row to lead 7-3 once again. There would be nine even scores late in the set with ECC fending off match point. Even at 24-24, the Blackhawks (22-16, 7-4) recorded a block to take the 25-24 lead but a tip went into the net to give the Panthers the ball back and another hitting error gave the hosts the set point. The final even score would be 26-all before back-to-back Nunez hits won it for the hosts, 28-26.

ECC had the visitors rattled and scored four in a row in the fourth game and never trailed again. Giovanna Marins had back-to-back points at the net (25-20) to even the match and send the two into the fifth.

The Panthers carried the momentum into the fifth but could never pull away, the two were even seven times and ECC came out on top five of those times. The largest separation between the two was 10-6 before SCC evened the score at 12-12. The final Panther advantage was 13-12 on a blocking error by the visitors. Once again faced with match point (14-13), ECC’s Nunez had a big kill to even the match. Struggling with serving all night, Nunez’s serve went out and the Blackhawks won it on a service ace by Morgan Jones.

There are just two conference matches left in the regular season for the Panthers as they are in a three-way tie for seventh in the Region XI standings.

For more photos, click here: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.timescitizen.com%2fgallery%2f&c=E,1,jrBVlMPetc_k4Y6UYXBmYnAxYLBiGXl1-lot_90cn6cAmFxnpjYWVqlKVyhKy39IWwDUrLmt8feXsJ5kcQV-7dNh2PEytPUHOvKWMvDABtJCBw,,&typo=1

ICCAC Volleyball
Tuesday at Iowa Falls

SCC: 25| 25| 26| 20| 16
ECC: 23| 16| 28| 25| 14

ECC Stats Unavailable