HANOVER, Ind. – The Panthers (11-8 overall, 0-1 HCAC) dove into Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon, falling in five sets to Manchester 3-2 (25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 16-25, 11-15).
 
INSIDE THE STATS
Three individuals finished with double digit kills, led by junior Abbey McCoy with 11. Teammates senior Elliot Mays and freshman Molly Welborn added 10 each.
 
Defensively, sophomore Madison Schicker collected 20 digs while senior Kelsey Waggoner, McCoy, and sophomore Brooke Gervers had 12 each.
 
Freshman Ryleigh Plunkitt had a team-high 22 assists.
 
THE PLAY-BY-PLAY
Hanover got off to a slow start in set one, falling behind early when kills by freshman Kinzee Dean and Brooklyn York helped give HC a 13-12 lead.
 
Gervers found success at the service line, propelling Hanover to a 16-13 difference.
 
The Spartans refused to go away, rattling off three straight points to tie the contest 21-21. But the Panthers got the final say with Welborn landing a kill that secured the 25-23 win.
 
With the contest knotted at one set apiece, Hanover looked to regain the momentum. Schicker delivered, using her powerful serve to push the Panthers in front 6-3.
 
The momentum shifted mid-set when Waggoner paced an 8-0 run that pushed the set nearly out of reach, 18-10. The final win of the afternoon for the Blue and Red came off a Waggoner serve as the Panthers took set three 25-20.
 
Hanover returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 11 when they hit the road for HCAC foe Bluffton.