BRODHEAD — In a very tough, close Rock Valley Conference-Rock Division volleyball match, the Brodhead Cardinals fell in five sets to the Edgerton Crimson Tide, 26-24, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17, 15-11 on Sept. 16.

In set one, the Cardinals staged a big late comeback to get the win. The Cardinals trailed 24-19 but got a soft kill from senior Bynn Riesterer and a kill by freshman Gracie Hefty to close to within 24-21. A pair of aces by senior Addie Leifker got the Cardinals to 24-23. Another kill by Riesterer tied it at 24-24. Leifker’s ace put the Cardinals ahead 25-24 and Brodhead won the first set 26-24 on Hefty’s kill.

Set two was another close set after junior Karli Krumwiede scored a pair of aces to bring the Cardinals to within one point at 18-17. A block kill by junior Chesney Walker kept it close at 20-18 and freshman Ella Olson smashed a kill to get Brodhead within three points at 22-19. Riesterer got a block kill to keep the Cardinals alive at 24-23, but Edgerton got the next point to win set two 25-23.

The Crimson Tide opened up a seven point lead in set three and the Cardinals couldn’t catch up. A kill by Dahl pulled the Cardinals to within 20-14 followed by aces by senior Gretchen Kammerer to make it 20-16. But Brodhead got only one point the rest of the way as Edgerton won set three, 25-17.

The Cardinals rebounded in set four as freshman Kinsley Krumwiede got a kill followed by Riesterer’s kill to make it 9-3. Freshman Sadie Woelky got back-to-back aces and Walker followed with a kill to give the Cardinals a 15-8 lead. A return error by Edgerton gave Brodhead a 23-16 lead followed by a Riesterer kill and an ace by Krumwiede to give the Cardinals a 25-17 win and force a fifth set.

A middle-row kill by Dahl put Brodhead up 6-5 in the fifth set, but a return error on the Cardinals put Edgerton ahead 11-10. Edgerton got the next two points to take a 13-10 lead, but Walker got a kill to get Brodhead to within 13-11. Edgerton got the next two points to win 15-11 and take the match 3-2.

Riesterer led the Cardinals with 19 kills and Dahl had 12. Riesterer also had four blocks. Leifker had five aces and Karli Krumwiede had three aces. Kammerer was the Cardinals’ assist leader with 43. After the match, Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer said she was encouraged by her team’s come from behind win in set one. “I was hoping to ride that momentum right out into the second and third (sets) and be able to finish,” said Kammerer.

Brodhead (11-5, 1-1) traveled to Big Foot for an RVC-Rock Division match on Sept. 18 and competes in a tournament Sept. 20.