The lady Panthers’ season reached its conclusion at the Class 2A Region 8 round-robin event in Strasburg, where they finished with a 1-1 record.
In their first matchup against the Wray Eagles, the lady Panthers emerged victorious with a 3-1 win in an intense battle. The set scores were 27-29, 26-24, 27-25 and 27-25. The team displayed remarkable resilience throughout the match. Annika Cantrell led the way with an impressive 19 kills, followed closely by Lexi LeBleu with 14 kills. Emma Smith contributed 11 service points, while Emmeree Wagner added 10 of her own. At the net, Cantrell and Aubrianna Tapia each recorded two blocks. Smith, Addison Scott, and Kaitlyn Cox accumulated 41, 17 and 18 digs, respectively. Cox and Darlee Halcomb distributed 21 assists each.
In a crucial match that determined their qualification for the 2A State Championships, the girls faced the formidable Strasburg Indians but fell short with a 1-3 loss. The set scores were 24-26, 13-25, 25-20 and 21-25. Cantrell contributed 11 kills in this match, with LeBleu adding nine more. Smith delivered 13 service points, while Scott and Cox added nine and eight, respectively. Tapia continued to make her presence felt at the net with three blocks, while Cantrell and Wagner each contributed two. Smith recorded 24 digs, and Cox had 18. Cox also provided 16 assists, with Halcomb contributing eight. Coach Hill expressed great pride in the team’s effort and determination and eagerly anticipates their achievements in the upcoming year.
Notable statistics for the season include Cantrell’s 208 kills, while LeBleu contributed another 137 for the team. Cox led the team with an impressive 67 aces for the season, ranking ninth in the state for this category. Tapia led the team with 41 blocks, closely followed by Cantrell with 40. Smith recorded 269 digs during the season, with Wagner tallying 241, Cox with 194, and Halcomb with 146. Cox also excelled in assists with 299, while Halcomb added 200 of her own. Smith recorded 335 service returns, Wagner had 320, and Audy Ryder contributed 121. The team concluded the season with an overall record of 16-8.
The Rangely Panthers volleyball team finished the 2023 season at the Region 8 competition in Strasburg.
