The McLennan Highlanders battled hard but fell to the Navarro Bulldogs 3-1 tonight at The Highlands.
Navarro won the coin toss and took the early 2-0 lead before McLennan rallied to tie the set at 3-3. The Bulldogs slowly began to pull away and took the opener 25-16.
The momentum carried over into the second set for Navarro. Once again, the set would be tied at 3-3. The Bulldogs led 6-4 and scored the next eight points to go up by 10, 14-4. McLennan pulled within six down the stretch but Navarro took the set 25-16.
McLennan found a rhythm in the third set and went up 7-2 early. Navarro rallied, tying the game at eight and then pushing to a two-point lead, 10-8. The Bulldogs went up by four, 13-9, but the Highlanders weren't done. McLennan rallied to tie the set at 14. With the momentum back on their side, the Highlanders continued to rally to a five-point lead at 23-17. Navarro pulled within one at 23-22 but McLennan held off the charge to take it 25-23.
It was a 4-4 tie early in the fourth set when Navarro began to pull away. The Bulldogs scored six to go up 10-4 before the Highlanders got the side out. Navarro pushed the lead to 10 at 17-7. McLennan once gain rallied late in the set, pulling within three at 19-16 but couldn't finish the comeback,
McLennan closes out the first round of conference play on Wednesday, hosting Southwestern Christian at 6 p.m.
Match
Navarro 25 25 23 25 | 3
McLennan 16 16 25 18 | 1
