The Keith High School Bears volleyball team opened its season on Thursday afternoon, and the stands were filled with their fellow classmates for the teams’ first match against the Southside High School Panthers.

It was the first match of the season for both teams, and it came down to the fifth set.

“The first game of the season we’re still trying to learn who is on the floor,” Panthers head coach Samantha Henry said. “I’ve got all new players except for five who returned.  They’re still trying to learn how to play with one another. It’s not working out that great, but it was in our favor today. We’re going to have to go back to the court and work a little bit harder.”

The Panthers won the first two sets 25-22 and 25-21. A strong start for a young team, but the work the players put in during the offseason paid off.

“We went to two camps this summer, and they learned a lot from both camps,” Henry said. “I think that worked in their favor as far as serving.”

However, the Bears began to claw their way back into the match. Keith won the third set 25-20, and the fourth set 25-22.

Each game, both teams played each other tighter and tighter. The final set was just as close, but Southside prevailed 15-13 to win the match.

The Panthers only played the one game, but they were able to leave Orrville with a perfect 1-0 record to begin the year.

The gym cleared out after the Southside match as the students left to get on the school buses or head to their afterschool activities, but the Bears had one more match to play against the Selma High Saints.

“Nerves was a big factor in that first game,” Keith head coach Towanna Flennory said. “I think the second game we settled down and we did what we practiced.”

The Saints had already played four matches heading into Thursday’s game, but still looking for its first win.

The loss against Southside settled the Bears down, and the team played more soundly against the Saints. The team served the ball better and made fewer errors against Selma High.

The Bears took the first set 25-20, but looked fatigued in the second set. Selma took the second set 25-16.

The third set was the most competitive of the afternoon. The teams traded long rallies back and forth across the net, and neither team trailed by more than four points.

Even though the crowd had left, the girls provided their own energy for the game. Cheering for aces and spikes. Bench players were on their feet encouraging their teammates and assisting the referees with out-calls.

The Bears had the last wave of momentum and won the third set 25-22. The players energy carried into the fourth and final set where they jumped out to a quick 10-1 lead before Turner called her first timeout.

“We made some good plays,” Flennory said. “No. 14, my senior, Erica Smiley played a hell of a game. I want to say she was the main person with that energy. She kept her team in it.”

The break helped Selma get back in the game, but the deficit was too large and the Bears won the final set 25-16.

“We did pretty good on our serving, and we served aggressively,” Selma High head coach Katasha Turner said. “But we have to talk and move. We have to play aggressive. We had spurts, but our communication on the court is very low. That’s an area we have to improve in.”

Volleyball among the Selma and Dallas County Schools has improved in recent years, and the progress is evident on the court.

“I saw much more movement. The communication was loud. The gym was loud, especially between Southside and Keith,” Turner said. “We’re playing more competitively. Instead of 3-0, all games went to four or five games today. That means we’re playing against each other more competitively around the area and that’s good.”

The teams will meet again at the City-County Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Selma High.