PLANTERSVILLE — During the first set of Monday’s match against Marbury, the Dallas County Hornets put on a show. They passed the ball well, attacked the net and communicated well — traits you see in a good volleyball team.

Then, fatigue set in.

Dallas County (19-6) ran out of gas in the next three sets, losing to Marbury 12-25, 25-20, 25-17, 27-25. The Hornets had played five matches Saturday while winning the Beauregard High School tournament. Playing all those matches probably caught up to them on Monday night.

“Were they tired? Yes, they were tired, but they never gave up, and that is going to help us down the stretch,” said Dallas County coach Linda Moore. “I’m proud of them.”

The Hornets battled back in the final game and even served with a chance to win the set, only to have Marbury tie it back up. The Bulldogs won the final two points to avoid a tiebreaking fifth set and to win their first area match of the year.

The loss likely knocks Dallas County to third in the ultracompetitive class 5A, area 6, where Calera remains on top and is likely to host the area tournament on Oct. 18.

“There are four great teams in our area,” Moore said. “Any of those teams could’ve gone to Beauregard and won that tournament too. That’s just the level of respect I have for our area.”

Dallas County made it look easy in the first set.

The Hornets broke out of a 10-10 tie by winning the next nine points. Alexis Goodwin had two blocks at the net and Jamerah Smith added a kill to extend the lead to nine.

After Dallas County closed out the first game, it looked like the Hornets were on their way to another victory.

Instead, the Bulldogs rallied back in a big way. Marbury took a 15-11 lead and kept that four point advantage most of the second set.

Marbury closed it out with an ace by Taylor Wyatt and a ball Dallas County couldn’t return over the net.

The third set was also all Marbury. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 9-3 lead, only to watch Dallas County win the next six points. Tyala Bonner had a block at the net to tie it, but the Bulldogs rattled off eight of the next 10 points.

Reagan Bayer had three straight aces in that stretch, and the Hornets didn’t get within five the rest of the set.

The final game was the most competitive set of the match. Both teams had their chances to win it, including Marbury on three separate occasions.

The Bulldogs finally took control after Goodwin’s return went out of bounds. Marbury took a 26-25 lead on that play and finished it off on the next play, a ball that Dallas County couldn’t get back over the net.

Dallas County plays Billingsley on Tuesday.