St. Marys scores the final six points of the night to beat Reynolds in five sets

TROUTDALE — The St. Mary’s Academy volleyball team put on a furious comeback Tuesday night to beat Reynolds in five sets and surge past the Raiders in a tight Mount Hood Conference playoff chase.

The Blues were on the verge of a loss, trailing 14-10 in the fifth set. But the team survived four match points, prompting the Raiders to call timeout after an ace by Madison Sankovitz brought St. Mary’s within a single point.

The brief pause did little to stymie the momentum, as Sankovitz went low to dig a big swing off the arm of Reynolds’ Brenna Huwe. The save set up Emma Peel for a cross-court winner that tied the score 14-14.

The Blues moved in front without putting the ball in play when Reynolds was called for an error in its rotation. That put St. Mary’s to match point, which saw both teams with a chance to win the volley, before Peel found an open spot along the sideline and delivered the winner with a tip shot.

St. Mary’s reeled off the last six points in the 23-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 16-14 win, outscoring the Raiders 112-107 for the night.

“Early in the season, we may have given up in that situation,” Blues’ coach Laura Humphrey said. “I told them they needed to leave their hearts out there on the court, and they went out and executed.”

Holly Fuhrer led the Blues with 21 kills, while Peel added 15. Sophie Peel paced the defense with 26 digs and Lindsay Cannon had 24.

The Blues stayed alive by winning a back-and-forth battle in a fourth set that saw St. Mary’s pull even three times before Peel connected on an ace that put them up 14-13. The Blues maintained a slim lead the rest of the way, forcing set point when Fuhrer ended a long volley with a kill through the center.

Peel finished off the set by blasting a kill off a Reynolds block and out of play.

St. Mary’s moved to 6-5 in league, heading into its final match at home Thursday against last-place David Douglas. Barlow (6-4) and Reynolds (5-5) are also battling for third place in the MHC, which is rewarded with an automatic spot in the 6A bracket.