By Owen Whitsett
Coffee County and Columbia needed five sets for the second time this season Tuesday night, but this time the Lady Lions came away with the win.
Columbia defeated Coffee County 3-2 in a back-and-forth district match at Coffee County that was broadcast live on Thunder Radio. The Lady Lions won 20-25, 25-20, 25-18, 17-25 and 18-16.
The loss came less than a month after Coffee County traveled to Columbia on Aug. 27 and won a five-set thriller of its own.
Columbia controlled much of Tuesday’s opening set and built an 18-14 lead before the Lady Raiders completely flipped the momentum.
Coffee County scored eight unanswered points to turn the four-point deficit into a 22-18 advantage. Cara Newlin had a kill during the comeback and Jenslee Nogodula served an ace to put the Lady Raiders in front 20-18.
Danni Hillis then delivered back-to-back kills, with the second extending the run to eight straight points and putting Coffee County ahead 22-18.
The run eventually reached nine consecutive points before Columbia stopped it. Hillis later finished off the opening set with another kill as Coffee County took it 25-20.
The Lady Raiders carried the momentum into the second set, racing out to a 7-1 lead behind strong play from Newlin and an early ace from Andon Selvog.
Columbia slowly erased the deficit, tying the set at 11 before eventually moving in front 14-13. The Lady Lions stretched their advantage to 19-13 and held off Coffee County from there for a 25-20 win to even the match.
Columbia controlled the third set after breaking away from an early 2-2 tie. The Lady Lions built leads of 6-2 and 20-11 before closing out a 25-18 victory to take a 2-1 match lead.
Facing elimination, Coffee County answered with one of its strongest sets of the night.
Hayleigh Harris, Hillis and Isabelle Saner helped the Lady Raiders take control in the fourth. Saner delivered multiple aces, including back-to-back aces that extended the Coffee County advantage to 21-14.
Hillis added another late kill before Harris put away the final point of a 25-17 Coffee County win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
The finale went down to the wire.
Cailey Sturgill opened the fifth with a kill, while Newlin, Harris and Paisley Dyer helped Coffee County build an early 4-2 advantage.
Columbia battled back and took a 7-6 lead before Hillis tied the set with a kill. Coffee County then moved ahead 9-7, but neither team was able to create much separation from there.
Saner found an open spot with a well-placed push to give Coffee County an 11-10 advantage. Columbia eventually moved in front 13-12, but the Lady Raiders answered to tie the set at 13.
The teams continued trading points beyond the normal 15-point finish. Harris delivered a kill to tie it at 15 before Hillis hammered home another kill, putting Coffee County ahead 16-15 and just one point away from winning the match.
But Columbia had the final answer.
The Lady Lions fought off match point, tied the set at 16 and scored the final three points to take the fifth 18-16 and the match 3-2.
Newlin, Hillis and Harris provided several kills throughout the night for Coffee County, while Saner delivered multiple key aces and Dyer made her presence felt at the net.
The result gives Coffee County and Columbia a split of their two five-set meetings this season, with each team winning on the other’s home floor.
