By Marissa VanWingen
Ellsworth Community College plays 10 of their first 11 games of the 2025 campaign away, including three rated ICCAC foes. ECC was at Fort Dodge and fell 25-17, 25-17, 25-20 to No. 13 Iowa Central Community College.
All three games were tight with eight even scores in the opener. The Tritons (4-4, 2-0) went on top after nearly every tie-up but could never pull away. Even at 12-12, an Adriana Tiedt kill made it 13-12 in ECC’s favor. That would be the only lead they would have as an error evened the mark and one of ICC’s 12 kills in the set gave them the lead. The two would be tied one more time, this time at 16-16 on a hitting miscue. The hosts scored nine of the final 10 points to take the set on a hitting error by the Panthers (2-4, 0-2).
The second set ICC jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held an advantage until the first tie at 7-7 from an Anthea Deweer serving ace. The two were even just one other time at 8-8 as the Tritons scored three in a row to gain the advantage. The difference swelled to seven (20-13) before a Deweer kill finally ended the ECC scoring drought. Once again, ICC scored the final points and won the set by the same 25-17 score, this time on a service error.
Throughout the third game it looked like the Tritons were going to pull away, but the scrappy Panthers stuck close. A Giovanna Marins cross court hit cut the deficit to 16-14. An ace serve by South Hardin alum Ava Paige – who finished with one ace and a pair of digs for the home team – made it 18-14 and forced the first ECC timeout. Juliana Nunez’s kill gave the Panthers the side out as they continued to hang around. ICC scored four more points in a row and led 23-18 before an Elsa Raga + Sydnee Kammrad double block kept the match alive. The game would end on one of Triton Talya Sampson’s team-high 19 kills.
The Panthers travel to Vincennes, Ind. for a weekend tournament before hosting their first home match of the season on Tuesday against Southwestern Community College and then Thursday they travel to No. 4 Kirkwood Community College.
Iowa Central 3, Ellsworth 0
Wednesday at Fort Dodge
ECC: 17| 17| 20
ICC: 25| 25| 25
ECC Stats Unavailable