MONTE VISTA – The Monte Vista High School volleyball team went five sets but came out victorious against Custer County Saturday at the MVHS gym.

“It was a very tough game,” said Monte Vista coach Monica Hinds. “We played hard. This was the best that I’ve seen this team play in while, so we’re excited for the win. We’re going to keep this momentum going.”

The Pirates scored the first two points of the first set, but the Bobcats tied the score. Monte Vista then went on a 9-2 run to take an 11-4 lead.

Custer County responded with 9-2 run of its own to tie the score at 13-13. Monte Vista regained the lead at 16-14, but the Bobcats ran off three straight points to take their first lead at 17-16.

The Pirates went on a 3-1 run for a 19-18 edge. But Custer County scored seven of the final nine points to take a 25-21 win.

The Bobcats opened the second set by scoring the first two points. However, the Pirates went on a 10-3 run to take a 10-5 advantage.

Custer County closed to within 10-7 before Monte Vista scored three in a row to push its lead to 13-7.

The Bobcats narrowed their deficit to 13-9, but the Pirates went on a 4-1 run to take a 17-10 lead.

Custer County closed to within 19-16, but Monte Vista had a 4-1 run for a 23-17 advantage. The Bobcats narrowed the lead to 23-20, but the Pirates scored the final two points for a 25-20 win and to tie the match at a set apiece.

Custer County scored the first point of the third set, but once again Monte Vista had an answer as it went on a 9-3 run for a 9-4 lead. The Bobcats reduced the lead to 10-9, but the Pirates ran off nine unanswered points for a 19-9 advantage.

Custer County closed to within 24-21, but a Bobcats service error gave the set to the Pirates, 25-21.

The Bobcats started strong in the fourth set by taking a 4-1 lead. However, the Pirates scored seven consecutive points for an 8-4 lead.

Custer County tied the score at 10-10, but Monte Vista scored two points for a 12-10 lead. The Bobcats then went on a 4-1 run to take a 14-13 edge, but the Pirates had a 5-1 rally to go back into the lead at 18-15.

Custer County scored 10 of the final 12 points to take the set 25-20 and deadlock the match at two sets apiece.

The Bobcats scored the first point of the fifth set, but the Pirates had a 9-4 run to take a 9-5 advantage. Custer County closed to within 11-9, but Monte Vista scored four of the final six points for a 15-11 win.

Evie Hinds led the Pirate offense with 30 assists, and Abigail Ortega had eight. Destiny Pacheco and Janessa Marquez led the hitting game with 12 kills each, followed by Hannah Henderhan with eight, and Madison Henderhan and Reagan Futrell both with six.

The Pirates served up 14 aces and were led by Madison  Henderhan with four. Pacheco had three, Hinds, Furtrell and Hannah Henderhan both had two and Ortega had one.

Monte Vista (10-4, 2-3) hosted Pagosa Springs on Tuesday. It will host Del Norte on Saturday beginning g at 1 p.m.