RAPID CITY - St. Thomas More pulled out a pair of squeakers to gain a 2-0 lead over Belle Fourche in Thursday's District 16A girls volleyball title match, but the Lady Broncs weren't quite ready to call it a season just yet.

Belle Fourche stormed back with a pair of equally tight wins to knot the tally at two games apiece.

More finally prevailed in the fifth and deciding game, claiming the district title 27-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-27, 15-5 at the More Gymnasium.

The first two games saw the lead swapped 14 times.

More broke a 24-all tie when Belle Fourche's Lauren Stephens' kill attempt found the net.

Carrie Maguire added a service ace, and Brittany Kjerstad's kill won the first game.

In Game 2, Belle rallied from a 19-14 deficit to pull within three on two kills from Stephens. Kjerstad finished off the game with a kill.

Belle Fourche stepped up to win Games 3 and 4 behind the net play of Stephens, Skye O'Brien, Brianne Anderson and Samatha Doolittle.

The Broncs withstood a late run from the Cavaliers to cut a 20-15 deficit to 21-19 before an Anderson kill and a pair of More hitting errors gave the Lady Broncs some breathing room.

Belle won the game on Liz Ensz's tip.

Game 4 was tied 14 times before Anderson's kill and an ace from Libero Jordan Schneider sent the match to a tie breaker.

"We put some pressure on ourselves in the third and fourth game," said Cavalier coach Shelly Wolfe. "We knew what was out there waiting for us and we just got a little up tight."

The fifth game looked to be another see-saw affair before a 6-0 run gave the Cavs some distance.

"We decided, hey, it's do-or-die," Wolfe said.

Senior reserve Morgan Pearson scored the final two points to clinch game and match point for the Cavs.

Her final kill landed just inside the sideline for the win.

"We had her practicing to hit the lines to try to stay away from their libero (Schnieder) and she did that really well," Wolfe said

Practice or not, Pearson wasn't thinking about the strategy as More closed in on match point.

"I just wanted it over and in," Pearson said. "This is just awesome"

The Cavaliers, 30-5, were led by Kjerstad's 20 kills and eight blocks. Maguire added three aces, and 20 digs. Megan Rafferty had 27 assists.

"Everybody played phenomenal. Our defense, my goodness and Belle Fourche, the longer they played the better they got," Wolfe said.

Stephens' 16 kills and Doolittle's 13 kills and six blocks led Belle Fourche, which finishes the year at 21-9. Schnieder paced the defense with 39 digs and also had three aces. Erin Budmayr was 21-21 in serving, and Ensz had 36 assists.

"St. Thomas More is a very athletic, very talented team. We battled them and gave it our best shot. This the fourth time we've played them and every match we've played, it's gone to the limit, five games or three if we're in a tournament," said Belle Fourche coach Cathy Grubb.

"I was really proud of our girls. They left it all on the court tonight," Grubb said. "Good luck to St. Thomas More."

More's win sets the table for a home-court rematch with Hot Springs on the Cavs' home court. Hot Springs downed Red Cloud for the Region 15A title in Hot Springs Thursday night.

"That's the one we really want to get to," Wolfe said. "It should be fun."