By Sean Holohan

The Goshen volleyball team won their first game of the South Super Regional tournament Friday against Area 3 runner-up Houston Academy in dramatic, comeback victory.

After jumping ahead one set to none, the Eagles dropped two-straight sets, giving Houston Academy a chance to clinch the match with a victory in the fourth set.

But the Eagles stormed back, winning the next set to tie the match at 2-2.

In the fifth and deciding set, Houston Academy jumped out to an early 14-7 lead. But Casey Allen, one of Goshen’s offensive leaders, scored the next seven points, three of which were aces, to tie the match at 14. The atmosphere was one that Goshen head coach Amy Warrick struggled to find words for.

“The end was incredible,” Warrick said. “You don’t even know. This was a battle.”

After surrendering the next point to put Houston Academy up 15-14, the Eagles again stormed back behind two Kati Thomas kills. The Eagles scored the next three points and won the set 17-15 and the match 3-2, launching the Eagles’ bench into pandemonium.

“We were very excited to get to play again tomorrow,” Warrick said. “This team fought. They were all about fight. At the end they were screaming. They had their backs against the wall and refused to give up.”

Thomas finished the day with 37 kills, and Allen had 28.

Goshen will advance to play New Brockton Saturday at 10:30 a.m.