LONGVIEW -- Leann Dorsey has been around Henderson volleyball since its inception 18 years ago and remembers the more established Pine Tree program not taking it easy on the still-organizing Lady Lions.

That made Tuesday's win in Longview sweeter.

Henderson rallied back from a first-set deficit and edged the Lady Pirates, 23-25, 26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 15-11, in non-district competition in front of a packed Pine Tree student section.

"Any time you can come out with a win at Pine Tree's home, it's a good day for us," Dorsey said. "Pine Tree used to beat us unmercifully when we started our program. I was here at the beginning, so I know what it's like. Some of these kids understand the rivalry and some are kind of new to it because we're not in a district with Pine Tree anymore.

"Back in the day, when we were in a district, they would put a 25-6 and 25-7 whooping on us. I still get excited when we can beat Pine Tree. Especially at home. It was good, and I appreciate the fact my kids battled through. They never gave up and continued to work."

Pine Tree's Alexis Wiley, who led all scorers with 19 points, goes up for a spike against Henderson's Baylee Bowman (12) and Addy Thrasher (13).
Pine Tree's Alexis Wiley, who led all scorers with 19 points, goes up for a spike against Henderson's Baylee Bowman (12) and Addy Thrasher (13).
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It's not a game the Lady Pirates (8-8) from Class 5A will want to remember as much. They gave up 55 of the 116 points Henderson (10-8) needed to take the long win on various mistakes.

Pine Tree's score attempts that went out of bounds, its errant serves and its net violations made up a tad more than 47 percent of the Lady Lions' points.

Henderson, a Class 4A team, spotted 48 of the 103 points Pine Tree won through the match -- 46.6 percent of the points awarded to the losing side.

Senior setter Hannah Perry had a brilliant match when Henderson was forced to play for its scores. She set up teammates 21 times on assists and added five points of her own on four aces and one block.

Perry played a hand in 40 percent of the Lady Lions' earned points when you take away the team's combined eight aced serves. She jumped to 42 percent when factoring in her four aced serves and the team's other four serves for scores in the match.

"Hannah has done an extremely good job," Dorsey said. "As a matter of fact, last Friday night, she tied a school record with 51 assists. She just keeps getting better and better. As long as we can get her a pass, she's going to set the ball for us."

Pine Tree's Alexis Wiley scored a match-best 19 points. Henderson's Kylie Carroll led her side with 18 points on 16 kills and two blocks.

Sarah Moore and Marissa Gary recorded 12 and 11 assists, respectively, for the Lady Pirates.

Pine Tree gave up eight unearned points in the decisive fifth set, a race to 15 points. That allowed Henderson to build a 4-0 lead ahead of two ties but no deficits for the Lady Lions in the frame.

After the Lady Pirates clawed back for a 7-7 score, the second and final tie of the fifth set, Henderson went on a 5-0 run with two earned points and three unearned points for a stranglehold.

With Henderson leading 14-11 and on defense for the match point, Pine Tree spiked the ball into the net for the loss.

The Lady Lions blew a 23-19 lead in the first set. It gave up two points on the Lady Pirates' 7-0 run to win the frame.

Pine Tree gave up a 24-23 edge in the second set. It ended on three straight Lady Pirates offensive errors.

Henderson took the third set by riding a 12-5 run midway through it with the benefit of eight Lady Pirates mistakes in the span.

Pine Tree won the fourth set on a 13-8 run after a 12-12 tie to force the fifth frame of action.

"That's what we've talked about all year long," Dorsey said. "We've got to put points together back-to-back. But, like I said, any time I can come out of this gym with this hostile crowd, I'm excited."

Henderson's Hannah Perry allows the ball to go out of play.
Hannah Perry recorded 21 assists for the Lady Lions against Pine Tree and scored five points.
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