For the first time in three seasons, the North Platte volleyball team (2-14-1) won two consecutive matches.
Fresh off their first win of the fall – a five set victory over Penney (1-13) after trailing 2-0 in the match on Sept. 22 – the Lady Panthers came out on top with a 3-0 victory over Orrick (1-11) on Sept. 27. Other than in tournaments where there are only two sets played instead of three sets, North Platte has only had three total sweeps since 2021 before defeating the Lady Bearcats 3-0.
The Lady Panthers took the opening set 25-13, and then took a 2-0 advantage with a 25-19 victory in set two. North Platte closed out the match with a 25-9 win in the third set.
Kinsey Niedfeldt led the way with eight aces and one block, while Katelyn Morelock added seven kills. Kylee Sipes finished with 18 digs, Bailey Richardson ended with nine assists and Ryleigh Kidwell had one block.
North Platte’s two-match winning streak was snapped the next time it took the floor as Lawson (16-2) won in three sets on Sept. 29. The Lady Cardinals have now taken down the Lady Panthers on four consecutive occasions with North Platte’s last win over Lawson coming on Sept. 27, 2018.
The Lady Panthers put up a fight in the first set, falling by a score of 25-17. North Platte lost the next two sets by scoring nine and 14 points before ultimately being swept.
Sipes had 12 digs in the match and Richardson dished out six assists, while Ariana Miller had four kills. North Platte will head to East Buchanan (18-3-1) on Oct. 6 before playing in the Riverside Tournament on Oct. 8 and then will have four matches left ahead of the Class 2 District 16 Tournament that begins on Oct. 22 at East Buchanan High School.