BLUE EARTH – Quick-reflex defense, combined with the power of positive thinking, propelled No. 3-seeded Blue Earth Area to an incredible volleyball comeback during Thursday night’s playoff match.

The Bucs rallied from a 2-1 game deficit to scratch the No. 6-seeded New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Panthers, 22-25, 25-17, 16-25, 27-25, 15-9, during Section 2AA, South Sub-Section quarterfinal action in Blue Earth.

Blue Earth Area (19-10) advances to play No. 2-seeded St. Peter (19-7) in the sub-section semifinals at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday night at Mankato East. The Saints squeezed by Fairmont, 25-27, 25-17, 25-7, 25-19.

New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva ended its season with a 10-13 record.

“After the third game, we talked about it being our seniors’ last night playing at home and we didn’t want them to go out like that,” said Buc junior setter Alissa Norman, who distributed a match-leading 52 assists to complement six kills and 14 points behind 20-for-21 serving. “We also did a much better job of reading defensively, and really improved on picking up their tips.”

Trailing 22-21 in Game 4, senior hitter Kaylor Jacobs delivered two of her eight kills during the ensuing nine-point stretch to even the match at two games apiece.

Jacobs crushed an assist from Alissa Norman to tie the score at 22-all before Skylee Bell – another Blue Earth Area senior – literally stepped up her serving to inch the home team within one of a Game 4 victory.

The Panthers regained serve, however, on the heels of a timeout and an errant Bucs’ delivery before grabbing a 25-24 lead behind Olivia Christopherson’s two kills off a pair of setter Rachel Collins’ 37 assists.

Oelke answered by drilling one of her eight match kills off another Alissa Norman set to avert an early exit from the playoffs and knot the score at 25-all.

Alissa Norman served up the critical final two points as a Panthers’ hitting error, followed by Kaylor Jacobs’ kill, forced Game 5.

“Kaylor really came through for us hitting during the latter stages of the fourth game and then in Game 5,” said Alissa Norman.

After middle hitter Lindsey Norman hammered one of her match-best 18 kills for a key sideout at 2-all in the final contest, senior Samantha Barslou served the Bucs to a 4-2 edge. Kaylor Jacobs and Lindsey Norman supplied a twin block before an errant serve returned serve to NRHEG.

Lindsey Norman needed only one touch to quickly regain the momentum for Blue Earth Area, pushing a two-handed power shot to rotate Bell to the service area.

“Skylee has gone into games multiple times for us throughout the season and delivered big points for us, and tonight she did it again,” said Alissa Norman.

Bell then received flawless frontline firepower from Sofie Blair, Oelke, Kaylor Jacobs and Alissa Norman in consecutive fashion to widen the Bucs’ lead to 9-3.

Alissa Norman later served Blue Earth Area to a 12-5 lead behind Kaylor Jacobs’ hitting before the Norman twins synchronized their skills one last time for the game- and match-winning point. Ahead 14-9, Lindsey Norman drilled an untouched ace to the middle of the end line off an Alissa Norman set to close the deal.

Lindsey Norman finished with four blocks to complement her 18 kills, while Sidney Blair topped the Bucs with five blocks to go with seven kills. Sofie Blair, Oelke and Kaylor Jacobs each produced eight kills for Blue Earth Area, Samantha Barslou generated six kills, while Lindsey Jacobs tallied 10 points behind 18-for-18 serving.