If you don’t like fast-paced action and loud auditoriums, the gym at Thompson Falls High School would not have been a good place to be Saturday afternoon.

Inside, two of the region’s best high school volleyball teams were locked in an intense competition featuring teams readying for upcoming playoff level matches.

Charlo, currently leading the Western 14C conference volleyball standings with District play coming up the week after this one, and the host Lady Hawks from T Falls, presently second in the Western 7B conference race, showed why they are both serious contenders for post-season advancement and honors.

In the end, Charlo eked out an extremely hard-fought 3-2 match win over the Lady Hawks, including extended play in the fifth set tie-breaker.

Both teams feature tall, athletic lineups and they were on full display Saturday.

The Lady Vikings took the first set, 26-24 (overtime in volleyball) after a rapid tempo pace that saw T Falls come from behind early. The Lady Hawks found themselves in a quick 9-2 deficit in the early moments of the first set. However, with Charlo in front 14-5 in the midway part of the opening set, T Falls rallied to tie the set at 17, then take the lead one point later.

The score was tied five more times in the set before Charlo was able to take the set by two points, giving the visitors a 1-0 match lead.

Set two saw the Lady Vikings take a 3-0 lead, only to watch as Thompson Falls tied the score at five. A run of six straight points by Charlo put them in charge as they went on to take set number two 25-16 and claim a 2-0 match advantage.

At that point, Charlo could perhaps smell victory, but they danced on the court a bit too soon.

Set three was a reversal of the previous set as the Lady Hawks kicked it into a higher gear and halted, at least temporarily, the Charlo momentum. T Falls took the third set by a 25-14 count, leaving the match score at 2-1 Charlo.

With the Lady Vikes one set away from a match victory, they bolted out to an ominous 10-3 fourth set lead early on. But once again the Lady Hawks bent but didn’t break and eventually tied Charlo at 20-20. With 6-foot sophomore Gabi Hannum controlling the front court with blocks and kills, the home team took a 24-21 lead. A kill shot by junior Sarah Koskela, assisted by Hannum secured set four for T Falls 25-21 and knotted the match at two sets each.

That set up the fifth set tie-breaker to settle the matter. The first team to 15 points, and with a two-point lead, wins the tie-breakers.

Thompson Falls grabbed an early set five lead and were up 9-5 when Charlo reached into its energy reserves and began to whittle away at the Lady Hawks lead. Charlo tied the fifth set at 11, then matched the Lady Hawks through four more ties before putting the match away with an exhausting 17-15 win, giving them the 3-2 match victory.

The win boosted Charlo to 9-3 on the year, while Thompson Falls fell to 8-6 with the loss.

Hannum had a monster match for T Falls, leading the team in kills with 11, assists with 16 and service aces with five. Olivia Fitchett and freshman Addy Deal shared the team lead with eight digs each, while Annalise Fairbank tied for the team lead in blocks (2) with Emma Claridge. Koskela also had an outstanding game, recording 10 kills and seven digs.

Thompson Falls has two matches left on its regular season schedule, hosting Troy tonight (Tuesday, October 17) then taking to the road for a match versus conference leading and once-beaten Eureka Saturday evening.

District 7B play begins October 27 in Plains.