DEVILS LAKE, ND  (NewsDakota.com)  As inconsistent as the Hi-Liner volleyball season as been, they may have saved their craziest for last.

Playing at winless-in-the-league Devils Lake, the Hi-Liners were beaten badly in the first set, down big in the second before rallying for a win, dominant winners in the third, and comeback kids again in the fourth for a 3-1 (16-25, 26-24, 25-13, 25-20) win at the Devils Lake Sports Complex Tuesday night.

Valley City earned their fourth Eastern Dakota Conference (EDC) win, and, barring upsets down the stretch elsewhere in the league, will finish ninth in the race, playing their play-in on Saturday.

Devils Lake found success early from sophomore Claire Heilman, who recorded five first-set kills to lead the Firebirds to victory, and an 18-11 second set lead.

Addy Kvilvang responded for Valley City.  Finishing the night with seven kills and seven blocks, she rejected two attacks at key times in the second to lead a Hi-Liner comeback.  Valley City eventually turned away a set point, and won in extras.

Kvilvang recorded three more blocks in the third, and Samantha Hatcher had her best set of the night, with three kills and a block of her own, powering the Hi-Liners to the win in third.  After falling behind by five in the fourth, Valley City’s surge was sparked by four aces from Kaide Kocka in a single service rotation to grab a hard-fought match.

The Hi-Liners finish 7-25 overall, 4-18 in league play, and await the finish of the league season to learn their destination in the play-in round Saturday.