VALLEY CITY, ND -- Graichen Gym felt much like a five-set thriller in a North Star Athletic Association championship, instead of an early season four-set thriller that it was. Mayville State and Valley City State battled back-and-forth, with the Comets overcoming a third-set loss, downing the Vikings 3-1 in Valley City on Wednesday.
"Anytime you can come on the road in this conference and building, and get a win, we'll take it," Comets head coach Lindsey Johnson said.
The gym was loud and a cool place to play, Johnson said.
"But, with that being said, it's also a tough place to play," she said.
Senior Hannah Bliss was hot Wednesday night, leading the Comets with a team-high 20 kills in the victory.
"We've had to rely on her (Bliss) to step up a little bit, with (Victoria) Johnson out," coach Johnson said. "And she just keeps doing it."
Set was one all Valley City early, but a 9-0 run by Mayville State brought the Comets back to an eight-point lead, led by a pair of kills by Passa and one by Bliss, which was set up by Passa. The Comets then went on a quick 3-0 run to exted the lead to ten points, before the Vikings stormed back, bringing the match to within four.
Mayville State eventually established the final momentum, winning set one 25-21.
Set two began different from set one, as Mayville State established momentum, pulling to a 9-5 lead early. The lead eventually grew to six points late, but back-to-back-to-back kills by Caitlyn Fischbach brought the Vikings to within three points, 21-18, only to have their run stopped by Kallene Klever's service error, which put Mayville State ahead by four.
A kill by Bliss made it 24-21, with Mayville State looking like they were poised to cruise to a 2-0 lead, but Makayla Wetzel stopped that with a kill on a pass from Reagan Ingstad. Wetzel then served for two straight points, tying the game at 24-24 with a service ace.
With all the momentum switched to the Valley City side, Wetzel committed an attack error, putting the Comets ahead with game point, 25-24. Clara Wieland's attack error on the serve by Jayden Warner put the Comets up 2-0 in the match, going away in set two, 26-24.
Set three saw Mayville State jump out to a 7-2 lead early, but Valley City fought back, as Katie Juarez put things home, pulling the Vikings to within 7-5.
Comet freshman Madisen Knudsvig, who was brought in to fill the shoes of injured Victoria Johnson, blocked a big swing by Kylie Tucker, pulling the Comets ahead again by three, 8-5.
"She's filling some big shoes," Johnson said of Knudsvig. "She just keeps getting better every time out."
A short time later, Valley City would tie the set on back-to-back kills by Juarez. Mayville State countered, and the two teams battled through to the middle part of the set, with the Comets leading 15-14, before Valley City struck gold.
The Vikings went on a 7-0 run, pulling ahead 21-15, putting Mayville State's three-game sweep in jeopardy. Passa stopped that, with back-to-back kills, pulling the Comets to within four, 21-17.
Valley City never looked back, outscoring Mayville State 4-3 in the final seven rallies, going away on back-to-back kills by Bailey Nelson, winning set three 25-20.
A determined, and fierce, Mayville State team came out in set five, staring at a 5-1 deficit. But Mayville State stormed back, scoring five unanswered points, taking a 6-5 lead. The two teams would eventually just go back-and-forth, with no team gaining an advantage of more than five points, until the late stages.
With the Comets ahead by three, kills by Bliss, sandwiched outside of attack errors by Valley City, pulled Mayville State to set point, 24-17.
Wetzel and Juarez tried to pull off the comeback, but it was cut short on a set-up pass from Passa to Bliss, who found the floor, sending the Comets home with the 25-19 set four match.
Bliss led the Comets with 20 kills, Passa had 11 and Kiana Johnson had six. Passa also had five blocks, pacing the Comets. Passa finished with 31 assists to pace the Comets. Warner finished with 39 digs, followed by Passa with 20, Mason Hart and Amy Seim with 16 and Bliss with 12 digs.
ON DECK: Next up for the Comets is a road trip to Dickinson State University on Saturday. The Comets and Blue Hawks will square off at 3 p.m. in Dickinson. After Saturday, the Comets will wrap up their road swing on Wednesday in Aberdeen, S.D., taking on the Presentation College Saints, before returning home on October 11, to take on the Briar Cliff Chargers, a part of homecoming week.