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Panthers Cage Falcons In Home Opener

CRAWFORD EARNS FIRST WIN OVER FALCONS

CHRIS HOFFMAN

Panther sophomore Michelle Remlinger (11) tallied 16 kills and five blocks in SFCC's win over Florida College in the home opener.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: September 6, 2007

AVON PARK –– Simply awesome.

This is not the same South Florida Community College Panthers squad that limped through the 2006 season.

The energy and enthusiasm that was lacking last season was in abundance on Thursday.

SFCC sophomore's Amy Birkemeirer and Michele Remlinger had 16 kills each, while freshman Allison Dees had 43 assists as the Panthers bounced the Falcons 30-23, 30-15, 30-21 in the Panthers home opener.

"Chemistry says it all when your're talking about this team," SFCC head coach Kim Crawford said. "This was a huge confidence boost for us and myself.

"We came back this year motivated on and off the court. The friendship and bond that this team has is what they take out onto that court."

This was the first win over Florida College for Crawford in her five years as the Panthers skipper, who lost the season opener to the Falcons on August 24.

The start was rough for SFCC, whose intensity didn't seem to be there and the Falcons matched them point for point, before Crawford called a time out with the Panthers up 13-12 in the first game.

"We looked really sluggish in the first game," Crawford said. "I told them to move their feet and play better defense. I gave them Monday off and I think that is why they came out flat."

The time out energized the Panthers, whose net defense intensified with Remlinger leading the way with two blocks and four kills during a 15-7 run that put SFCC in control with a 28-19 lead, before closing the door with a first game win moments later.

That explosiveness transferred to the second game, as the Panthers streaked out to an 8-1 lead without breaking a sweat. Falcons junior Susan Johnson ended the run with a pair of kills, as Florida College scored four unanswered points and pulled within two points, but that is as close as it would get.

SFCC as a team looked to be in midseason form, covering the floor well on defense and everyone contributing on the offensive end. Sophomore Mallory Strall got three of her 11 kills in the second game and freshman Kaylee Pendarvis was a beast at the net during her rotations, netting three kills during a 20-8 game-ending run.

Florida College is not the type of team to lay down and flexed its muscles in the final game, keeping the game close throughout, before the Panthers caged the Falcons, as Remlinger and Strall had four kills and a block combined to put the finishing touches on the win.

Strall's defense was the bond that kept the Panthers train rolling, tallying 16 digs, while Birkemeier had 19 digs in the win.

SFCC is back on the court today when it hosts Indian River at the Panther gym at 7 p.m.

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