CLEVELAND TOWNSHIP, N.C. – Forget not playing into a fifth set, D.H. Conley entered Wednesday’s non-conference match at Cleveland having only dropped three sets all season.

Halfway through the contest, the Vikings looked a 2-0 deficit in the eyes. The Rams were also in the midst of a third set run and could start to smell sweep.

Suddenly, the script flipped. Britni Silver and the Conley front row gave the road side enough life to win the third and fourth.

Silver owned the back-and-forth fifth to escape the match with a 3-2 victory.

Cleveland’s size helped the Rams seize momentum first. Jolene Oddo pushed the opening run of the first set to 10-4, and from there, the Rams cruised to a 25-20 win.

While Oddo racked up her fair share of dazzling blocks and kills, Emma Lawson and Allie Bogle stole the show in the second.

Lawson was a force in the middle, and Bogle left Conley searching for answers when she swung from the outside.

The Rams jumped out to a 16-9 second set lead before Silver answered to pull the Vikings within a point at 22-21.

Cleveland held strong and won the second 25-22. A potential sweep was in sight.

Sadie Johnston downed two aces to give the Rams an 8-5 lead early in the third.

Silver rallied Conley back into the third to set the stage for Olivia Jones whose three kills late in the frame ignited a 5-1 run.

D.H. Conley won the third 25-20 and for the first time in the match, gained momentum.

Jones kept the kills coming early in the fourth. Cleveland turned to Oddo for answers but Emiliee Wilson and Faith Mitchum picked up some of the biggest points of the night to hold even.

Mitchum landed her second ace of the fourth to propel the Vikings to a set-ending 9-5 run to win 25-22.

The lead continued to yo-yo in the fifth set. Cleveland first established a 6-3 lead but Jones, Silver, and Tarrah Shirley evaporated that advantage with a 3-0 run.

In the race to 15 points, Sydney Carden gave Conley an 11-8 lead. Riley McGalliard set up Silver for a trio of kills to put the match on ice, 15-13.

The Vikings quickly turn around to play their third match in three days on Thursday evening when it takes its 11-0 record on the road to New Bern.

Cleveland, who entered the match 12-4 following a Tuesday win at Garner, also takes the floor on Thursday night when it hosts South Garner.

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Source: highschoolot.com