Paxton-Buckley-Loda was not able to break out of their rough patch on Saturday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They were a single set away from ending the streak, but they lost a 2-1 heartbreaker at the hands of the St. Thomas More Sabers. The Panthers were not able to make up for their loss to the Sabers from their previous meeting back in October of 2024.
In a back-and-forth that saw neither team win consecutive sets, Paxton-Buckley-Loda sadly dropped the once that decided the match. The match finished with set scores of 25-13, 18-25, 15-10.
Ellie Dirks paced Paxton-Buckley-Loda's offense, picking up ten kills. Dirks got some help from Kylie Rust and her 13 assists. Rust also made an impact serving: she shared the team lead in aces with Logan Loschen, each putting up two.
St. Thomas More's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Avery Humphrey, who had six digs and three aces. Another player making a difference was Audrey Gooding, who had eight digs and one assist.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda's defeat dropped their record down to 10-15. As for St. Thomas More, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-8 record this season.
Coincidentally, Paxton-Buckley-Loda and St. Thomas More will both be playing Athens the next time they take the court. The Panthers will head out to face the Warriors at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, while the Sabers will play them later in the day, at 10:00 a.m.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
