Valley City Hi-Liners survived a five-set battle against the Grand Forks Central Knights, advancing to the EDC quarterfinals with a hard-fought victory (17-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-18, 15-7).

The Hi-Liners stumbled out of the gates, trailing early in the first set, 8-12. The Knights kept their composure and closed the set on a 13-9 run, taking it 25-22. However, Valley City rallied in the second set, establishing a 7-3 lead and pulling away with a 9-4 run to secure a dominant 25-14 win.

In a tense third set, the Knights’ resilient defense held off a late Hi-Liners comeback, allowing them to edge Valley City 25-22. The fourth set remained neck-and-neck until a crucial 6-2 Hi-Liners run secured a 25-18 victory, forcing a fifth and final set.

The deciding set was a defensive showcase for the Hi-Liners, who rode an 8-0 run to clinch the set 15-7 and secure their quarterfinal berth. Valley City’s next game will be November 12th at Fargo Davies at 6:00 PM.