This time, Curwensville was hoping to avoid a close match in front of its home crowd on Senior Night.

The Lady Bisons won the first match 25-20, but the Lady Tide recovered from their sluggish start and won the next three sets, 25-11, 25-13 and 25-10.

"I don't know what we were doing in the first game," said Curwensville head coach Sandy Bailor. "It's a typical Clearfield-Curwensville game.

"They have to be ready to play. We weren't setting the ball up, we weren't hitting the ball and we were missing serves. I told them after that first game, I'm not going a fifth game, so they better start stepping it up, and they did. They did a nice job tonight."

Clearfield led the first set big thanks to four service points from Jennie Knepp. Curwensville eventually tied the game at 12-12, but Clearfield got more points from Knepp and the Bisons were able to break away.

Two kills from Knepp helped set the final at 25-20.

"Jennie placed the ball well at different times," said Lady Bisons head coach Bob Peters. "But it's a tough loss. They (Curwensville) were just better than us tonight."

Curwensville had four service errors in the set.

After a long pep talk from Bailor, the Lady Tide came out with a little more enthusiasm in the second set, and eventually took a 16-8 lead.

Clearfield called a timeout, but Rachel Michaels continued to serve the ball hard and Curwensville led 23-8.

The Lady Bisons got a sideout and cut the lead to 23-11, but Morgan Peterman served up the final point after a Taylor Thornhill kill to give her team the win.

"We have done that a couple of times this year where we started out really good in the first set and then we just fall apart," Peters said. "The first game was a typical Clearfield-Curwensville game, and then they (Curwensville) pretty well dominated the three games after that."

The two teams played close to start the third set, but the Lady Tide eventually pulled out to a 17-9 lead. Sara Clark had six service points in the set to help her team gain the advantage.

Several returns out of bounds, as well as three service errors and two net violations, hampered the Lady Bisons from closing the gap.

Thornhill was big at the net for the Lady Tide, as she had three kills and a block. Michaels added two kills.

"I'm excited I get my front row a couple more years," Bailor said. "Rachel and Taylor are really coming along so well. For sophomores, they have done a nice job. Sara Clark also had a really good night for us."

The fourth set was all Lady Tide, thanks to seven service points from Michaels and four each from Clark, Jayme McKenzie and Stephanie Vicary.

Vicary had three kills in the set, while Thornhill had three kills and a block.

"Their height was a definite advantage," Peters said. "We were able to control it the first game, but couldn't do it the last three."

"Clearfield has some nice girls on their team," said Bailor. "Jennie Knepp can put the ball anywhere you want it, and she has a fantastic serve. I give them a lot of credit for coming out and playing hard."

Michaels finished the night with 18 service points and nine kills, while Thornhill had 10 kills and four blocks.

Vicary added eight service points and five kills. Clark netted 13 service points, while Peterman had six.

Knepp had 10 service points and seven kills to lead the Lady Bisons.

Curwensville improved to 8-6 overall. The Lady Tide travel to Brockway on Thursday.

Clearfield fell to 5-12. The Lady Bisons host Brookville on Thursday.

Curwensville won the junior varsity match in straight sets.

NOTES: Shannon McDonald, Courtney Strong, Peterman, Vicary and team manager Ryan Thornhill were honored before the game during Senior Night festivities. Said Bailor of her four players, "All four of our seniors have given a lot to the program over the last four years. I was glad to see Morgan get her 1,000th assist. She has worked really hard on that. Stephanie Vicary has done a nice job on the outside for us. Courtney Strong didn't get a whole of playing time, but boy does she have leadership. And, Shannon is just so reliable for us. She's always diving and getting balls." ... Peterman was also honored before the game by Bailor with a game ball for recording her 1,000th assist.