By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS GROVE - Fittingly, the biggest match of the Ada volleyball regular season came down to a fifth set for the first time all season Tuesday night at Columbus Grove.

The visiting Ada squad ran away with a 15-7 win in the decisive final game to beat Grove and capture the Northwest Conference title outright to repeat as league champions.

With the see-saw triumph, the purple and gold Lady Bulldogs finish the regular season 16-6 overall and 8-0 in league play. Grove fell to 14-8 and 7-1    in the NWC with the showdown defeat.

With the 25-23, 15-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-7 victory, Ada avenged a four-set loss in the finale last year to CG that cost them an outright NWC title. That home loss forced the purple and gold to share the conference crown with Paulding.

Junior middle Melina Woods led Ada to victory with 31 kills, 15 digs, one block and one ace.

"We wanted to be the first team to 10 in the last set," said Ada head coach Melissa Gossard. "It is a mind game once you get to 10, especially for the team that is behind. We got some key aces."

After Grove tied the match 2-2 with a fourth set victory, Ada never trailed in the decisive fifth game. Woods knocked down a clean kill to the sideline for a 1-0 edge.

CG tied it 1-1, but two Grove mis-hits and a cross-court smash by Woods to the sideline put Ada in front, 4-1. After a Grove timeout they won a long rally. Yet Woods placed a kill to the open back for a 5-2 cushion.

Powerful Carlee McCluer hammered a big kill off a block and an Ada hitting error closed the gap to 5-4. But then the visitors went on a key 5-0 run.

Alyssa Vore and Nikki Lehsten each came up with crucial block winners. Sidney Gossard then fired consecutive aces and another big Lehsten block put Ada in front, 10-4.

A hitting error stopped the flurry, but a tip into the net by CG made it 11-5. McCluer came up with another big kill, yet Woods answered with a kill.

Grove scored on a big block kill, but Woods tipped to the open short spot. A Maddie Gossard ace advanced Ada to match and NWC championship point.

Fittingly, a Woods kill off a Grove blocker dropped in to clinch the crown, setting off an Ada celebration on court.

"Once we won the third set, I knew we'd be ok," said Gossard. "Melina came through like I knew she would. This is the most coachable team I have had in 21 seasons as a coach. They don't get upset.

"We peaked at the right time," said Gossard, whose team has won 13 of their last 14 matches after a 3-5 start against a tough schedule. "I am proud of all of the players."

Senior Vore contributed a season-best dozen kills while classmate Haley Wyss added 10 kills. Lehsten amassed five big blocks and two kills.

Junior Maddie Gossard passed out 36 assists, served seven aces, made eight digs and came up with two blocks. Freshman Sidney Gossard contributed 10 assists, six aces and seven digs. Junior libero Olivia Alexander hustled up 25 digs.

Seeded fourth in the Ottawa-Glandorf district, Ada hosts sixth seed Pandora-Gilboa on Tuesday, October 18 in Div. IV sectional first round action at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs are 7-0 at home this season.

The Ada/P-G winner visits third seed Hardin Northern Oct. 20.