Salina Central faced Derby in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Mustangs fell just short of the Panthers by a score of 2-1. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Mustangs of the 2-1 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in September of 2024.
In a back-and-forth that saw neither team win consecutive sets, Salina Central sadly dropped the once that decided the match. The match finished with set scores of 25-17, 26-28, 25-23.

Elizabeth Howard
08/30/25 @ Liberal | 10 |
08/30/25 @ Heights | 10 |
08/30/25 vs Rose Hill | 12 |
08/30/25 @ Mulvane | 13 |
08/30/25 @ North | 14 |
Despite the defeat, Salina Central saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Elizabeth Howard had 17 assists and five digs. Those 17 assists set a new season-high mark for Howard.
Having lost for the first time this season, Salina Central fell to 5-1. As for Derby, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
Coincidentally, Salina Central and Derby will both be playing Goddard the next time they take the court. The Mustangs will host the Lions at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while the Panthers will play them later in the day, at 7:00 p.m.
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