LIBERAL — Great Bend's historic volleyball team rode the yellow brick road to Liberal for the Panthers' fourth consecutive Western Athletic Conference league title.

No. 7 ranked 5A Great Bend (30-3, 12-0 WAC) completed a perfect sweep of the Western Athletic Conference by outlasting WAC runner-up Garden City 25-11, 24-26, 26-24 in a record-breaking fashion.

No. 1 West seed Great Bend will play Arkansas City (5-24) Oct. 24 in the Great Bend volleyball substate. The Panthers have swept 16 consecutive matches since losing three matches at Topeka Sept. 26.

Great Bend's senior trio of Kya Behr, Meredith Mazouch and Alex Mayers continue to rewrite the school record book with a 4-year record of 124-24.

The Panthers own records of 31-5, 35-5, 28-11 and 30-3 while winning the WAC three consecutive years under prior head coach Shelly Duvall and first-year coach Tina Johnson.

Great Bend finished 1-2 at 5A state last year and 0-3 at 5A state in 2024. Andover edged the Panthers 19-25, 25-16, 25-23 to prevent a state trip in 2023.

LIBERAL QUAD — Great Bend (30-3) def. Garden City (22-9), 25-11, 24-26, 26-24; Great Bend def. Dodge City (14-19) 25-10, 25-12; Great Bend def. Liberal (4-24), 25-14, 25-13; Garden City def. Dodge City, 25-11, 25-16; Garden City def. Liberal, 25-11, 25-13; Dodge City def. Liberal, 25-15, 25-15

5A GREAT BEND SUBSTATE 10-24—1—Great Bend 30-3 vs 16—Arkansas City 5-24; 8—Hays High 18-15 vs. 9—Emporia 15-13

WESTERN ATHLETIC

Great Bend 12-0 30-3

Garden City 9-3 22-9

Hays High 5-7 18-15

Dodge City 4-8 14-19

Liberal 0-12 4-24

9-15—GB 3-0; Hays 2-1; DC 1-2; Liberal 0-3

9-22—GC 3-0; DC 2-1; Hays 1-2; Liberal 0-3

9-29—GB 3-0; GC 2-1; Hays 1-2; Liberal 0-3

10-6—GB 3-0; GC 2-1; Hays 1-2; DC 0-3

10-13—GB 3-0; GC 2-1; DC 1-2, Liberal 0-3