With a seemingly comfortable 13-5 lead in the third game of a match it already led two games to none, the Garden Spot girls' volleyball team may have already had one foot on the first step of the bus.

The backstory here is that the Spartans entered Conestoga Valley's Rill Gym unbeaten in match play and toting one tournament win, a tournament second-place finish and a tournament fifth-place.

So, even though the Buckskins were 5-1 in Section Two, trailing Garden Spot by a game, the Spartans were living up to their No. 8 ranking in the latest Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Class AAA state poll and probably expected to finish Game 3 much like the first two, which ended 25-12 and 25-14.

Then, the bell rang for Volleyball 101.

Garden Spot learned that it can't just expect to win because its record, a poll or its personnel says so. Conestoga Valley learned that it has the talent to challenge the team that is arguably the Lancaster-Lebanon League's best.

The Spartans did pull out that last game to win the match 3-0. But they were extended, winning it 28-26 and thereby stayed unbeaten in games in every section match it's played this season.

That third-game 13-5 lead evaporated when CV reeled off eight straight points behind the serves of Kristy Huesken. Throughout the Bucks' run, a Garden Spot timeout seemed imminent. But Garden Spot coach Denny Werner held off.

"I think it was a smart move," Garden Spot setter Hannah Ertzgard said. "We were the ones making the mistakes. We needed to find, within ourselves, how to make a difference."

A bad Garden Spot pass gave the Bucks their first lead of the match at 21-20. When CV went up 23-21, Werner called the timeout.

"We haven't had much adversity," Werner said about waiting to call time. "I wanted to see how they reacted."

CV would eventually take a 24-21 lead, threatening to send the match to a fourth game.

But a CV service error followed by two swing errors knotted the match at 24-24. CV served for the game two more times, but each time the Spartans rallied to tie.

Garden Spot's Ashley Schnader, who led all players with 15 kills, put up a block to give the Spartans a 27-26 lead. A bad set by the Bucks gave Spot the match.

While Schnader and Rachel Wenger earned All-State honors last season, teammate Tracy Musser showed why she can't be overlooked when scouting the Spartans' attack. Musser finished with nine kills, two blocks and matched Schnader's team-high two aces.

"Tracy has started since she was a sophomore and she's had some big matches over the years," Werner said. "Having multiple weapons is a key."

While the Buckskins (5-2) didn't win the match, their surge in the third game was enough to alter CV coach Craig Esbenshade's post-game speech.

"I was ready to tell them they didn't rise to the occasion," Esbenshade said. "When we turned it around in the third game, we did rise to the occasion."

Heather Long led the Bucks with nine kills, and Lindey Crills, Heather Martin and Long each had two blocks.

While Garden Spot (7-0) now has a two-game cushion with three matches to play in Section Two, the Section One race appears headed for a one-game playoff to decide the title. When Hempfield (6-1) won its rematch with Penn Manor (6-1) last week, it created a tie atop the section with three to play.

A playoff, should it be needed, will be played Oct. 16.

In Section Three, Manheim Central (8-0) holds the top spot but has a rematch with Lancaster Mennonite Thursday. With a win, the Blazers, who suffered their only section loss to the Barons, could tie Central if both win their remaining league matches.

E-mail: kfreeman@lnpnews.com