Thursday’s volleyball smasher between Bartlesville and Skiatook high school’s evolved into a rip-roarin’ affair in which the emotional yearnings of an entire evening hinged on every serve, every pass, every set, every hit and every error.

When the energetic bonanza of drama finally ended, the Lady Bulldogs of Skiatook escaped the gleaming Bruin Fieldhouse with a grueling five-set win, 25-22, 15-25, 18-25, 25-15, 15-13.

Fueled by explosive performances from Lydia Knollmeyer, Mia Otten, Alli Wood, Brooke Bluhm and others, the Bartlesville Lady Bruins surged to a superb performance, on balance.

But, it wasn’t quite enough on this whacky night.

“I was disappointed we lost but not ashamed,” said Lady Bruin head coach Tom Williams. “I think we played better than we did Tuesday night (a five-set win against Muskogee). ... We’re still learning, still growing. I saw some improvement tonight and we’ve got to build on that. ... We’re going to win more matches. This is a learning experience. We’ve got lots to build on.”

Knollmeyer ripped 10 kills — many of them with the appearance of a red-hot projectile ejected during a dynamite detonation — and added one ace and one block.

Otten — one of two starting freshmen — added 10 kills and a block.

Bluhm produced nine kills; Wood handed out a team-high 17 assists, blasted seven kills and served two aces.

Kaitlyn Smith added 15 assists.

Rounding out Bartlesville’s kill sheet were Olivia Hadrava, four; Sydney Potts, three; Sydney Collins, two; and Annie Southwick, one.

Potts and Collins also delivered two and one aces, respectively.

Next up, the Lady Bruins (1-1) board the bus next Tuesday for a showdown at Sand Springs.

Following is a brief game-by-game summary of Thursday’s battle:

Skiatook 25, BHS 22: Collins served Bartlesville to a 2-0 lead, but the Lady Bulldogs proved to have some big teeth. The teams played to ties at 4-4, 5-5, 6-6 and 16-16 — although Bartlesville owned a small lead most the way up until the 16th point. Hadrava hammered a thunderous kill — which caromed off a blocker’s hands — to break an 8-8 tie in favor of Bartlesville. However, minutes later, Skiatook forged ahead, 18-16, and held on to win, 25-22, getting the winning point on a Lady Bruin service error.

BHS 25, Skiatook 15: With no small encouragement during the break by Williams, Bartlesville came out and took care of business. Wood scored three service points — one of them on a kill by Bluhm. But, Knollmeyer was the real hero during that volley by making two diving saves to keep the ball in play. Later in the game, Southwick and Smith put together big back-to-back service turns to extend Bartlesville’s lead to 10-6. The Lady Bruins continued to pull away, thanks partly to a blistering ace serve by Potts, who placed the missile shot just inside the left foul line.

BHS 25, Skiatook 18: Bartlesville carried the momentum into Game 3. Early on, Skiatook whittled out an 11-9 lead, but Knollmeyer smashed a second-row kill to snap the Bulldogs’ run and ignite a 6-2 run for Bartlesville. Shortly after, Otten put down a right side kill to break at 15-15 tie. The Lady Bruins then finished the game on a 10-3 run, including a cross-court kill by Knollmeyer, off a Wood set. Knollmeyer also spiked the ball for the winning point.

Skiatook 25, BHS 15: Whether the Lady Bruins lost focus, or whether Skiatook found a gusher of energy is debatable. What is certain is Skiatook took control right away in this game and never surrendered it. The Lady Bruins fell behind by nine, 18-9, by the halfway point of the session and never got closer six points the rest of the way. The game ended on a receiving error.

Skiatook 15, BHS 13: Bartlesville played a fifth game for the second time in three nights. Skiatook inched out to a 3-1 lead — with Knollmeyer making a kill, of a Smith set — for Bartlesville’s first point. Skiatook built its lead to 5-2 — but the Lady Bruins then erupted for an 9-2 run to bolt into the lead, 11-7. Bluhm contributed a five-point serving turn during that rally and Knollmeyer recorded a block. But, then the tide turn in favor of Skiatook, which finished the game on an 8-2 run. The game ended on a Lady Bruin service error.
