By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Writer

ALABASTER — It took all five sets to declare a winner in the Oct. 1 matchup between Kingwood and Cornerstone, but in the end, the Lions took home the match, 3-2.

The two teams fought neck-and-neck throughout the first set, with Kingwood jumping out to a 12-5 lead. The Lions led by as many as nine before the Chargers climbed back into the game, pulling within two late in the set. Kingwood hung on, however, and took the 25-22 set win.

In the second set, neither team seemed to have the upper hand. Kingwood led 20-15 at one point, but Cornerstone used a 10-3 run down the stretch to take a 25-22 win in the set. CCS followed it up with a 25-16 win in set three.

With its back to the wall, Kingwood came out fighting in the fourth set. The Lions used an 8-2 run to help take a 25-11 win in the set to even the score a 2-2 for the match.

In the tie breaker fifth set, the Lions seized the momentum and took a 15-6 win, capturing the match as well.

Katie Allen Etheridge led the team with nine kills and five aces, Madelyn Pearce had seven kills and five aces while Addy Moncreif had three kills and nine assists for Kingwood.