By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

The Phillipsburg prep volleyball team came oh, so close to not returning to the Class 3A State Championships.

The Panthers, ranked third in the state, were down three match points to Thomas More Prep-Marian in the semifinals of last weekend's sub-state on the Monarchs' home floor. But Phillipsburg pulled out the win, then beat Smith Center in the finals to earn a spot at this weekend's season finale at Salina's Bicentennial Center. Pool play starts Friday at 9:30 a.m. with Phillipsburg taking on No. 6 seed Hillsboro (29-8).

"You're always glad when a team can pull together and stay mentally tough," Phillipsburg coach Terra Keeten said of the scare against TMP-Marian. "I don't think we can dig ourselves in that kind of hole this weekend and dig out, like last weekend."

Keeten doesn't expect her team to be under a lot of pressure as the third seed at state. While Phillipsburg is 37-2, No. 2 seed Wichita-Collegiate (35-1) also is in the Panthers' pool.

"I think we have a very tough pool," Keeten said. "Wichita-Collegiate dropping down to the No. 2 seed is a concern. Hillsboro has a girl commmitted to go to K-State next year; we've got to stop her, slow her down, at least."

The Panthers haven't played any of the other teams in the pool, but they have played each other. Wichita-Collegiate's lone loss was against Hillsboro.

"We haven't played any of them," Keeten said. "There's pros and cons to that.

"I expect a lot of phone cals are going out about us," she added.

But just returning to state is a relief.

"I think last weekend was our pressure day, getting back to the state tournament," Keeten said. "Going in as the No. 3 seed, I don't think there's a lot of pressure."

Phillipsburg returned every player this year save for setter Lindsay Dusin, who now is playing in junior college.

"Losing a four-year starter was a big concern," Keeten said.

Senior Nikki Swatzell now teams up with sophomore Reagan Vanderplas as setters in the team's 6-2 offense.

The Panthers are led at the net by senior hitter Makenzie Weinman and another hitter, junior Melissa Blair.

Phillipsburg finished third at state last year in the Panthers' first trip to the season finale since 2000.

"I expect them to come in relaxed and have a great tournament," Keeten said. "We haven't lost a tournament yet, (the players) keep reminding themselves of that."