TOPEKA, Kan.-  The 18th ranked Drury Panthers opened the 2019 season falling twice in five sets on the first day of the Washburn Invitational tournament in Topeka, Kansas on Friday. Drury fell 3-2 to Emporia State in their first match of the day, then had their rally against 23rd ranked Central Washington thwarted in a 3-2 loss in their second contest.
 
The Panthers burst out to a first set win against Emporia State, 25-14, but had to force a fifth set with a 25-19 victory in the fourth. Drury had the fifth set tied at 3-3, but the Hornets scored 12 of the next 16 points to close out the match.
 
Julia McCown led the Panthers with 16 kills while Reba Thomsen added 28 assists.
 
Drury rallied from two sets down to force a fifth set against 23rd ranked Central Washington in their second match of the day but fell in the fifth set 18-16. The Panthers had the game at match-point three times, but Central Washington would get a block and two attack errors by Drury to win 18-16.
 
McCown had 20 kills while Thomsen contributed 43 assists and Makina Wratten posted four blocks against the Wildcats.
 
The losses start Drury's record at 0-2.
 
The Panthers play twice on Saturday in the second day of the Washburn Invitational. They face Texas Women's College at 9:30 a.m., then conclude the tournament against Northwest Missouri State at 1:30 p.m.
 
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