ROANOKE RAPIDS — The Lady Jackets gave the Rocky Mount Gryphons all they could handle and then some in a volleyball match-up last night but fell just short in the fifth set to lose the match 3-2 in a best of five series.

Anthony Gainey | Daily Herald Lady Jacket Leslie Stallings,13, puts one over the heads of the defenders for Rocky Mount in the fourth set forcing a fifth set. Advertisement

The momentum was back and forth between teams like the pendulum on a grandfather clock.  The Lady Jackets jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set, but eventually fell 25-14. Roanoke Rapids jumped out 9-4 in the early goings and never truly looked back to take the set 25-17, to even things at one set each.

The momentum once again shifted in the third set when the Gryphons took the early lead to win  25-16,  Roanoke Rapids didn’t roll over however, when they mounted a serious comeback being down 22-9 to score seven more points.

Set four was the make or break set and the Lady Jackets came out hitting on all cylinders knowing a victory would force a fifth and final set, and a loss meant going home.

Roanoke Rapids went on an 8-1 run in the beginning of the set, Rocky Mount however fought back to close the gap to only trail 10-13, and even got to within one at 17-18. The Jackets took the victory 25-21 being the hardest battle of the  night, until the fifth set came around.

After the flip of the coin each team stayed on the side in which they just played. Adrenaline flowed through the veins of the players, electricity filled the air and almost all were on their feet with the cheers of those supporting each squad almost becoming deafening.

Neither team was willing to give the other the edge as the lead went back and forth as the teams went tit for tat. Jordan Poythress gave her Jackets an edge for just a moment when she dinked to just over the net for an 8-2 lead. The Gryphons closed the gap at eight, the teams stayed tied through 11. Roanoke rapids went up 13-12 but Rocky Mount took over to lead at 14-12, being only one point away from victory the Jackets had other ideas and tied the game once again. Both squads were tied at 15 each, but rules are you have to win by two points. Roanoke Rapids gave away a point to give the Rocky Mount girls just one more point for victory and after a long and hard fought volley the Lady Jackets fell just short in tremendously valiant effort on the hard wood.