SANDPOINT — Sandpoint volleyball gave fans quite the show in its home opener on Tuesday night.

After falling behind two sets, the Bulldogs clawed their way back and claimed a five-set victory over Timberlake at Les Rogers Court.

SHS won 22-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13, 15-9.

Sandpoint struggled in the first two sets, but head coach Karen Alsager moved sophomore Vivian Platte from outside hitter to middle blocker after the slow start. Alsager said that completely changed the match for the Bulldogs.

The shift in the lineup sparked the Bulldogs and the team built confidence with every point.

"That was like the catalyst for everything else to start rolling," Alsager said. "Once we started getting those swings going in the middle, I think that started the fire for us."

Platte and senior Tori Pelkey were smashing balls over the net in the middle. The Tigers had no answer for the duo.

"I can't remember the last time we've played where we can run the middle that much, so that's good," Alsager said. "It's a testament to our passing."

Pelkey finished with 13 kills and one block and Platte tallied eight kills.

Sophomore setter Audrey Sheffler had 24 assists and four aces, and Alsager said she was making the right decisions all night.

"I feel like she feeds the right hitters at the right time," Alsager said. "I'm not telling her that, she's just intuitively doing that."

Senior Saylor Bond came off the bench and left her mark in her first home varsity match. At outside hitter, she earned several key points for the Bulldogs.

Senior libero Emma Brown secured 25 digs and senior Lauren Breuner added 20 digs and five aces.

Alsager was proud of the fight her team showed. She said they still have a lot to work on, but they took a step forward against Timberlake.

"It's hard to be down two games and to come back and win three," she said.

Sandpoint (1-3) heads to Lake City at 7 p.m. Thursday.