COEUR d'ALENE - Down two games in an elimination match, the fourth-seeded Post Falls Trojans battled back to advance to a state 5A volleyball tournament play-in game with the most immeasurable thing they could.

Heart.

Post Falls, which upset second-seeded Lake City on Tuesday night, defeated the third-seeded Coeur d'Alene Vikings 18-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-20, 15-7 in the Region 1 tournament second-place game Wednesday night at Elmer Jordan Court.

Post Falls (16-22) will play the fifth-place team from District 3 on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Grangeville High, with the winner advancing to the state tournament.

"We've been taking the things we've been talking about on the court and putting them to use," Post Falls coach Willow Hanna said. "All we've been talking about is playing with heart."

Trailing 2-0 after Coeur d'Alene won the first two games, Post Falls avoided elimination on an ace by Savannah Hill and a Coeur d'Alene return that went out of bounds to take the third game 27-25, and completed the rally with two more wins.

"That was all about fight and heart," Hanna said. "That's all it is. Not letting the ball hit the floor and working one point at a time and working for each other. Coeur d'Alene's tough - no doubt about it. (Coach) Dee (Pottenger) has a great program going here and she's brought them a long way since the start of the season and they were playing great tonight."

Kayla McGlathery had 15 kills and three aces for Coeur d'Alene, which finishes 19-12.

"I wish we would have played like we're capable of," Pottenger said. "We started out playing our game and Post Falls said they play with heart - and they truly do - and tonight was no exception."

Megan Ramseyer had 18 assists and 10 digs, Makayla Strand 10 digs, Amy Norris 12 blocks and Sydney Williams eight blocks for Coeur d'Alene.

Danielle Failor had 10 kills and six blocks, Hill nine kills and four aces, Brenna Meehan 35 assists and Brooke Litalien 19 digs for Post Falls - which finished as the state runner-up in last year's tournament at Coeur d'Alene High.

"I'm so proud of the team," Hill said. "We all did such an amazing job and pulled it together finally as a team. Normally we break down when we're trailing late, but we pushed right back. I'm so proud of my team tonight. We've got some great coaches and teammates that never give up hope. Without that, we wouldn't be here today and never gave up. Nobody expected this from us and we gave it all our heart and it was just awesome."

"Tonight they were the better team and they deserve to go to state," said Pottenger of Post Falls. "I'm really pleased with the progress the girls made throughout the season and how they continued to improve. I know the girls are disappointed and I know that we were a team that could have made it to state and could have represented the IEL (Inland Empire League) well being down there, just like any of these teams could. Any team in our league could win regionals and any could be second and tonight was their night - not ours."