ORANGEBURG, SC (Sept. 20, 2021) – The Claflin Lady Panthers (2-3) put on their best offensive showing of the early season when the team took a dominating three-set win over the Allen (S.C.) Yellowjackets, Monday evening. Combined with the team’s always impressive defense, the Lady Panthers rolled to the 25-15, 25-16, and 25-12 victory.
The Lady Panthers clicked on all cylinders to claim the win. The team combined a dominating offensive effort with a stifling defense to claim the win. Offensively, it was sophomore outside hitter Danielle Branch who led the way for the Lady Panthers with a season-high 10 kills in the match with four service aces. Junior outside hitter Simone Newell added nine kills as well. It was the setter duo of junior Erin Preston and senior Monae Rowser who coordinated the effort with 25 combined assists. Preston recorded 14 assists while Rowser added 11 assists.
It didn’t take long for the Lady Panthers to take control of the match with an impressive opening set. The team took control midway through the set with a 14-5 lead. The run included three service aces. From there, the Lady Panthers pulled away with the 25-15 win that was capped by a service ace from junior Sadaiya Edouard. The second set saw another great effort by the Lady Panthers. After allowing the Yellowjackets to take a 7-5 lead, the Lady Panthers went on an 8-1 run that included three kills from Branch. The effort left the Lady Panthers with a 13-8 lead. From there, the Lady Panthers never looked back when the team rolled to the 25-16 win. The final set saw another dominating performance by the Lady Panthers. This time, the Lady Panthers jumped out to an early lead with a 6-3 run to start the set. The team further pushed ahead when a kill from freshman Kailyn Glover gave the Lady Panthers an 11-4 lead in the set. After a key Yellowjacket injury, the Lady Panthers went on to take a 24-9 lead over the Yellowjackets. After allowing three points to the Yellowjackets, the Lady Panthers were able to claim the win after an Allen (S.C.) service error.
With the win, the Lady Panthers improve to 2-3 on the season. The team will return to action, Thursday when the team begins Central intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play when the team hosts the Livingstone College Blue Bears in a 6:00 p.m. match.