VALLEY CITY,  ND (NewsDakota.com)  The Viking-Comet rivalry produces special moments.

Wednesday night, the W. E. Osmon Fieldhouse was full of them.

Mayville State responded from a 25-9 thrashing in the first set with a 25-23 win in the second, then forced a fifth set, and turned away three match points.

But the Vikings hung on during a trial run without middle blocker Danielle Hagler with four players in double figures in the kill column for a five-set (25-9, 23-25, 25-18, 17-25, 17-15) win over the Comets.

Macy Fridgen, who will be called upon to lead a Viking offense without Hagler, led the way with 15 kills.

Morgan Nelson turned in a career performance, with 14 kills and 10 blocks.

Both performers are key, as Hagler, the Vikings leading blocker, was lost for the season with a knee injury last week in a match with the University of Jamestown.

Rosie Anderson, new to the team after two seasons with the Viking women’s basketball team, added 12 kills, including a first set in which she hit .883.  Morgan Freije recorded 11 kills.

After the blistering win for the Vikings in set one, Mayville State responded with a back row effort that denied multiple quality Viking attacks in turning the match around.

Samantha Passa recorded 20 kills and added 18 digs in a season where she leads the Comets in both categories.

But 6’2″ sophomore Andrea Majchrazek nailed six blocks that counted, and several more that repelled the Viking front row in the mid-to- late stages of the match.   Her efforts, teamed with a surge from Madison McKinnon, who ended with 13 kills, fueled the comeback effort.

The Comets led 10-8 in the fifth before the Vikings rallied for a 14-12 lead with Majchrazek in the back row.   She made it back to the match at 14-14, but the Vikings found a way around her to close the match.

The Vikings are now 10-5, 2-1 in NSAA play.  They travel to Dakota State and Bellevue University next week.