Perryville VB edges Hillsboro in five sets

With mere days to go before the Perryville Tournament, the Pirates volleyball team gave the home crowd an early thrill with a 3-2 win over Hillsboro in five sets on Thursday at Perryville High School.

The fifth and final set ended with the Pirates winning 16-14.

"It was very stressful and nerve-racking going back and forth like that in the fifth set," Perryville junior Ellie Gerler said.

Perryville freshman Paige Berkbigler serves the ball against Hillsboro on Thursday in Perryville, Mo. Jacob Blassingame ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian

Perryville has now won four straight matches against Hillsboro, as well as five of its last six. It was a much-needed win for the Pirates, who started the season with a strong showing at the Woodland Invitational but won only three games since winning the tourney title.

"We were on a losing streak for a minute and I really think that's what we need to get hype and to get going again," said. Perryville senior Ana Moll.

Hillsboro won the first set 25-15 after taking a 17-2 lead at the start. Perryville struck back in the second set with a 9-3 start, eventually winning 25-16.

The Pirates continued riding the momentum through the third set, starting with a 17-6 lead on their way to winning 25-12. Hillsboro forced the final set after turning a 14-14 stalemate into a 25-21 advantage.

The Pirates started the fifth set with a 7-3 lead, but the Hawks battled back to take an 8-7 lead. It was 14-14 until a pair of aces by Perryville freshman Paige Berkbigler sealed the win.

"I feel like we played really good for not having a lot of people," Gerler said. "Everyone's been hurt, we just got a couple of players back and we did really good mixing in the team that we have."

The Pirates host the Perryville Tournament on Saturday and two more home games next week against Park Hills Central and Festus, with the Class 3 District 2 Tournament around the corner.

"I feel like if we played like we did [Thursday] and we're hype and we have energy, then we got it," Moll said. "We just got to be excited and just believe in ourselves."