The Alba-Golden Lady Panthers played host Friday to the Fruitvale Lady Cats, coming away with a win, 18-25, 25-15, 25-13, 25-22. 

The Lady Panthers did not communicate or execute efficiently early, and dropped the opening game.

With more focus and intensity, they started the second game more like themselves, opening up a three-point margin.

A leaping save by Kamrin Wright kept them in a point, which was eventually won on a block by Kalli Trimble, and the ball was given to Erin Langston to serve with an 8-4 lead.

Langston showed how solid serving can put pressure on an oppenent, even without a barrage of aces, by putting Fruitvale out of position, giving her teammates plenty of free balls to work with, which they capitalized on, going on a seven-point run, undeterred by a Lady Cat timeout at 12-4.

Fruitvale rallied, closing within four. Quick hands by Wright and Skyler West kept a long rally going, which Cacie Lennon closed out with a block to put Alba-Golden up 20-13 on their way to claiming the second game.

The third opened tight, deadlocked at 8-8 when Trimble served five straight. The margin remained five at 17-12, when the Lady Panthers floored Fruitvale, dropping just a single point at 19-13. They got the side out with a Wright assist to Trimble for a kill.

The Lady Cats did not go quietly, pulling ahead in the fourth 8-3. The Lady Panthers worked their way back into the game, closing the gap to 14-12 Fruitvale, when West stepped to the line to apply more pressure to the Lady Cat back line, only a service error stopping the run at 17-14.

Another run on Lennon's serve put Alba-Golden ahead 24-18, but it took five more points to finally finish off Fruitvale and avoid a fifth game.

The Lady Panthers hosted Boles Tuesday and Como-Pickton will visit Friday.