Morgan Academy’s volleyball season ended Monday, just three victories shy of a state championship.

The Senators (15-8) lost to Lee-Scott 25-15, 27-25, 25-22, 25-21 Monday in the Alabama Independent School Association quarterfinals. Morgan had control in two of the three sets it lost, but the Warriors rallied to win them to steal the momentum and the match.

“They had one heck of a season. Compared to previous years, it’s two, three, four, fix, six steps better than it has been and everyone in this gym, everyone that is affiliated with them and loves them knows that,” said Morgan coach Kayla Mason. “No one expected them to make it close to the Elite Eight this year and they did.”

Morgan nearly made it even further than that but couldn’t shake the Warriors.

The first set was back and forth. The lead changed hands several times early and the score ended up tied 15-15. Lee-Scott won the final 10 points, with three aces by Adrienne Leonard leading the way.

Mason said Leonard played a huge factor in the match.

“She was a phenomenal server and every time we would get up five or six she would get back around there and be the one serving,” Mason said. “We had a really hard time returning her serves.”

Morgan led the second game 24-17 before Lee-Scott started its comeback. The Warriors won seven points in a row to crank up the pressure on the Senators.

With the set tied at 25, Lee-Scott served out of bounds and then Regan Hewitt had a kill to tie up the match.

In the third set, the Senators again found themselves with a lead. McKenzie Williams’ kill made the score 20-13 and gave the Senators what appeared to be an insurmountable advantage.

Down 22-15, Lee-Scott again rallied. The Warriors won 10 straight points to steal the set.

The final set was again extremely competitive.

The Senators led 19-14 late before Lee-Scott rallied again to win the match and advance to the AISA semifinals Thursday at Faulkner University.

“Once they get a good run going they get nervous and then they start trying to be perfect,” Mason said.

One of Morgan’s starters, Williams, played the match with an injured wrist. Mason said she hurt it during the regional tournament last week at Northside Methodist and didn’t serve during Monday’s match.

“It hurts her to move it and she’s played in extreme pain,” Mason said. “I knew she could handle hitting the ball, but she couldn’t serve.”