HASTINGS, Neb. – After dropping the first of two volleyball matches on Saturday, things looked bleak for College of Saint Mary late in the second match against Ottawa University at the Hastings College Classic.

The Flames trailed two sets to one and 20-14 in the fourth set. However, CSM found its groove at the perfect time.

College of Saint Mary ripped off eight of the next nine points and went on to force a decisive fifth set. And they controlled that climactic race to 15 most of the way, finishing off a 23-25, 20-25, 25-20, 25-23, 15-12 victory over the Braves to end their weekend in most satisfying fashion.

"We showed great character, as it was certainly a gut-check for the Flames,'' CSM Coach Rick Pruett said. "It was a team effort, and I was proud of how we battled to get the reverse sweep and a big win!''

CSM couldn't find similar dramatics in its opener on Saturday, losing to Kansas Wesleyan University 25-23, 25-17, 21-25, 26-14. The Flames are now 5-1 on the season.

Trailing 20-14 in the second match against Ottawa (0-2), Caylin Barnett, Malory Dickson and Mya Weber registered kills in that 8-1 burst that surged the Flames on top, 22-21. Barnett had a pair of diving digs during a marathon point that ended with an Ottawa error and gave CSM three match points, leading 24-22. Two points later, a Brave error sent it to a fifth set.

In the fifth, a Madalyn Welp kill kept CSM up 9-5. Azaria Green smacked a kill for a 12-8 Flames advantage. On CSM's fourth match point, Barnett pounded a kill off the block to complete the comeback.

"We did not play very good volleyball the first two sets, but we found a way,'' Pruett said.

Barnett led the winners with 19 kills and 22 digs. Weber joined her in double figures on the attack with 12 kills in the middle and a .296 hitting percentage. Kennedy Buck notched 26 assists while Kaitlyn Busby added 20. Elen Pruett made 21 digs, Buck pitched in 14 and Krissy Radicia had 13.

The opening match against Kansas Wesleyan followed a similar pattern, as CSM dug a two-set hole, rallied and nearly forced a fifth set.

Trailing two sets to none and 21-20, Barnett produced three kills in a five-point run that sent it to a fourth. In the fourth, CSM trailed 15-9 but roared back, and Green's kill gave the Flames a set point, leading 24-23. However, a missed serve started a three-point run by KWU (1-1) that ended the match.

"Just a match of not taking advantage of opportunities and being aggressive when we needed to be,'' Rick Pruett said. "Unforced errors killed us, with 11 service errors and 23 hitting errors.''

Barnett led a balanced attack with 10 kills, while Caitlin McCormack, Green, Weber and Welp all added eight kills apiece. Elen Pruett paced the defense with 17 digs while Radicia and Barnett had 14 each.

"We battled and had chances to win the match, but just could not get over the hump,'' Coach Pruett said. "I thought our passers did a great job getting us in system.''

CSM will return to action on Friday and Saturday in its own Labor Day Classic, playing a total of four matches.