Pana’s undefeated start to the 2026 season continued Thursday night, but not without a determined response from Central A&M.
The Panthers swept the Lady Raiders in two sets, taking the opener 25-9 before surviving an electric second-set battle, 27-25. The victory moves Pana to 5-0 on the season, with the Panthers yet to lose a set or be forced into a third set through their first five matches. Pana entered Thursday coming off a 26-24, 25-10 victory over Vandalia.
While the final result was another sweep for Pana, the two sets told dramatically different stories.
Pana wasted little time establishing control in the opening set. The Panthers dictated the pace from the beginning and prevented Central A&M from developing much offensive rhythm. With contributions coming throughout the lineup, Pana rolled to a commanding 25-9 victory and appeared poised to continue its early-season dominance.
Central A&M had other plans.
After struggling throughout the opener, the Lady Raiders completely changed the tone of the match in the second set. Central A&M raced out to a 6-0 lead, immediately putting the Panthers in unfamiliar territory and energizing the Raiders’ home crowd.
From there, the second set developed into a battle.
Pana gradually worked its way back into contention, but Central A&M refused to allow the Panthers to take control as easily as they had in the first. Both sides battled through extended rallies and pressure-filled points as the set remained up for grabs deep into the closing stages.
Central A&M’s defensive effort helped keep the Raiders in the fight. Lanae Hanley and Mabry Metzger each recorded 10 digs, while Kaydence Wilkinson added five digs and three kills. Metzger also contributed two kills.
At the net, Kenzie White finished with two kills and three blocks, while Lylah Minott added a kill and a block. Shelby Younker recorded a dig, while Addie Stinson contributed an ace and four digs.
Senior setter Callie Robertson delivered another all-around performance for the Lady Raiders, finishing with 11 assists, four digs, three blocks and an ace.
Robertson was also at the center of a special moment during Thursday’s match.
Between sets, Central A&M recognized Robertson for breaking the program’s single-match assists record. The senior accomplished the feat Tuesday night, recording 26 assists in a single match to surpass the previous Central A&M school record of 25.
The recognition added another milestone to Robertson’s senior season and came during a week in which she has continued to play an important role in directing the Lady Raider offense. Earlier in the week against Pawnee, Robertson had recorded 11 assists, three kills, three aces and two digs in a Central A&M victory.
Pana, however, had plenty of production of its own Thursday night.
Bella Bennett delivered one of the Panthers’ most complete performances, finishing with five kills, three aces, five digs and an assist. Gemma Armstrong matched Bennett with five kills while adding three assists.
Phoenix Pope provided another strong presence at the net with four kills and two blocks, while Brooke Cox directed much of the Panther attack with a team-high 13 assists and two digs.
Pana also found success from the service line. MacKenzie Banning recorded three aces, while Adi Blodgett finished with two aces, a kill and five digs. Rowan Lynch contributed an ace and a team-high eight digs, and Megan Hudelson added a kill.
Those contributions became especially important as Central A&M continued pushing Pana throughout the second set.
After trailing 6-0 early, the Panthers showed the composure that has helped define their undefeated start. Pana battled all the way back, but the Raiders continued answering, eventually pushing the set beyond the traditional 25-point finish.
With neither team willing to give way, Pana finally found the two-point separation it needed and escaped with a 27-25 victory, ending Central A&M’s upset bid and completing the sweep.
For the Panthers, Thursday’s match demonstrated two different ways to win. The opening set showcased Pana’s ability to take command and overwhelm an opponent, while the second tested its ability to respond to adversity and execute with the match hanging in the balance.
For Central A&M, the loss came with plenty of positives despite the final result. After being outscored by 16 points in the opener, the Raiders responded by putting an undefeated Pana team on the ropes and forcing the Panthers to earn nearly every point of the second set.
Central A&M entered the matchup having won three of its previous four matches, including victories over Pawnee and Argenta-Oreana earlier in the week. Thursday’s second-set response offered another glimpse of the fight and potential within the Lady Raider lineup.
Pana ultimately had the final answer.
Five matches into the season, the Panthers remain 5-0. Even more impressively, they remain perfect in sets played — 10 sets won, zero lost — after Central A&M came within two points of becoming the first team this season to force Pana into a deciding third set.
FINAL: Pana def. Central A&M, 2-0
Set 1: Pana 25, Central A&M 9
Set 2: Pana 27, Central A&M 25
Pana Record: 5-0 — 10-0 in sets played
