LOGAN — For the Lady Pirates, the road to the Division III regional finals ran through Albany Alexander, home of the consecutive state volleyball finalists and defending state champions. Wheelersburg nearly dethroned the Lady Spartans with amazing set wins in games one and four but came up short in the five-set defeat, 26-28, 25-7, 25-21, 23-25 and 8-15 at Logan High School on Wednesday.

Wheelersburg gave Alexander its toughest match in two years of tournament play. The Lady Spartans had not lost a set in tournament play since the 2007 state finals. On Wednesday, Wheelersburg took two sets of its own.

Outstanding defense was on full display for both teams as neither squad allowed the other to take control of the match.

“We’ve got to give all the credit to Wheelersburg... what a scappy, defensive team,” Alexander coach Jaime Welsh said. “A lot of balls that our outside and middle (hitters) would usually put down within a couple seconds (to end a volley), they were picked up, it was just amazing defense.”

Wheelersburg got the attention of all in attendance with a nail-biting 28-26 victory in the first set.

The set began with Alexander out to an early 12-6 lead but the Lady Pirates wouldn’t back down.

A swing in momentum occurred when Wheelersburg’s seventh point came off the hand of Megan Bernthold for a spike kill. She totaled 14 kills in the match. Points went back and forth between the teams and Alexander’s lead shrank when Logan Barrick (who led the team with 10 points) toed the serving line.

Wheelersburg trailed 11-14 as Barrick served. Alexander set up its most powerful striker Haley Born for a kill but Carly Miller timed the spike beautifully for a stuff block and the 12th point.

The Lady Pirates gained confidence with every point and at 16 the score was tied. Intense volleying ensued and neither team gave an inch. The score was tied at every point 16 through 26, and one point leads were all the squads could manage.

With the score even at 25, Alexander’s setter Kayla Radekin set the ball over on the second hit and caught the ‘Burg defense off guard, for Alexander to lead 26-25. The crowd held its breath as the defending state champs served for a set win, but the match evened once again when the Spartan server hit into the net.

Wheelersburg needed two points to take the first game and they got them from juniors Molly Knapp and Corey Turner. Knapp found a hole in the Spartan defense for a kill and the 27th point, and Turner followed with an ace for the set win 28-26.

After such an exciting set emotions ran high for the underdogs.

“We got a little emotional after that first game and we were a little too high going into the second set,” Wheelersburg coach Carol Bialkowski said. “Then after that we calmed back down and tried to get some momentum back. “

The second set was taken by Alexander as Wheelersburg could not get out of its own way. The Lady Pirates committed eight unforced errors compared to three from Alexander.

Wheelersburg bounced back in set three, the score tied at six after a block by Knapp, who had three in the match. The teams traded the lead and the serve until the score was 21 all.

Alexander had the serve and sent libero Kayla Bartlett to the line. She reeled off the remaining points for a 2-1 set lead for Alexander.

“(Alexander) just did such a great job serving, they move you around so well on the serve,” Bialkowski said. “We were not getting crisp passes up to the setter and we weren’t able to put the ball away.”

The fourth and fifth sets were very competitive as Wheelersburg was looking for the upset. Miller was outstanding in set four with seven kills (15 total) while setter Kalyn Bailey collected 12 sets. She dished out 40 on the night.

Just as Alexander was gaining momentum, tying the score at 23, the Lady Pirates forced an error and then Knapp buried a cross court spike to give ‘Burg the 25-23 win in set four.

Knapp tallied 11 kills and 17 digs for the match.

It all came down to the fifth set, shortened by rule to 15 points. The Lady Pirates kept it close until two consecutive points were lost.

Alexander took a 7-3 lead at that point and never looked back. The defending D-III state champs won the set 15-8 and the match in five to move on to the regional finals.

“I thought we battled through all the adversity out there, and didn’t quit,” Bialkowski said. “I am so proud of their effort.”

This has been the most successful tournament run for Wheelersburg’s volleyball program as they were crowned district champs for the first time.

The Lady Pirates lose three seniors from their squad — hitters Bernthold and Barrick and backup setter Mahala O’Brien. Wheelersburg hopes to learn from this season’s successes as it ended up with a 22-4 record.

“I am excited about next year and all we can do now is build and learn a lesson about how tough it is at this level,” Bialkowski said.

Record — Wheelersburg 22-4

ALI KEATON can be reached at alikeaton_pdt@hotmail.com