Tippecanoe had all the momentum going their way.

After Tecumseh cruised through the first two games of their match against the Red Devils, Tippecanoe survived elimination with a third set win. The Red Devils then were in complete control 12-4 in game four, trying to send the match to a fifth and deciding set. That’s when senior Lindsey Nartker took over.

The Tecumseh senior reeled off six straight service points, including two aces to bring the Arrows back to within 12-11, and after the two teams battled down the stretch for an epic game four, the Arrows finished the match with a Nartker kill, and completed a 3-1 victory, 25-20, 25-18, 25-27, 28-26.

“We started off strong, the first two sets we came out ready to play,” Tecumseh coach Angie Lizza said. “In the third and fourth set, our serve receive and passing wasn’t very good. We had to come out of a big hole in the fourth set, but the girls stepped up.”

Tecumseh opened the first set with an 8-3 advantage, behind solid net play from Cara Willardson before the Red Devils fought back. Taylor Prall had five kills for Tippecanoe to keep them in the match, and they cut the deficit to 12-10, which was the closest they would get for the rest of the opening set. Baylee Pursifull’s kill started a run for the Arrows, and they opened an 18-12 lead and finished off the Red Devils in the first set.

Tipp jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead in the second set before Kirsten Nartker began a run of five straight points, giving the Arrows a 7-5 lead. A huge block at the net from Tipp senior Aubrey Cox broke the momentum, but the Arrows went on another run behind a pair of aces from Lucy Eier to take a 13-8 lead.

The Red Devils battled back to tie the game behind Audrey Trick’s service points, but again the Arrows went on a run as Pursifull had a huge block, followed by a kill to help the Arrows regain momentum 19-15 and went on for a two game lead.

Six points from Prall led the Red Devils to a game three win, breaking the Arrows chance to win at 24-23. Cox recorded a kill to tie the game at 25, and her good friend Nartker returned the favor to hold off elimination for the Arrows before the Red Devils scored the final two points for the game three win.

Tecumseh took the lead from Tipp early in game four as built their eight point lead. After Nartker brought them back, the Red Devils again put together to build an 18-13 lead, and when Natalie Seeman powered one down at the net, the Red Devils were gearing toward a fifth game, leading 22-17.

But the Arrows would not go away. Trailing 23-19, they reeled off four points behind Caroline Smith to tie the game at 23. Pursifull and Kirsten Nartker added huge net play during that run. Three times the Arrows were at match point before Lindsey Nartker’s kill wrapped up the win for the Arrows.

Tecumseh was led by Nartker with 24 kills, 17 digs, three blocks and four aces, while Pursifull added nine kills and seven blocks, Smith had 45 assists and nine digs, and Eier recorded 21 digs and three aces.

For the Red Devils, Alyssa Crusey had 14 kills, 15 digs and two aces, Prall added 11 kills, five blocks and three aces, Kara Trimbach had 23 assists and Laura Rosselit added 15. Jordan McMahan with 19 digs.