Just when the Mars volleyball team had its back against the wall, the Planets reached back and played their best when it mattered the most.

In Thursday's section matchup against Knoch, the Knights led 2-1 and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth game before Mars recovered.

The Planets won the set and grabbed the fifth and deciding set in a 22-25, 26-23, 24-26, 25-17, 15-9 victory.

"They have the tendency to give teams three points, but then they come back," said Mars coach Karen Martini about her team. "There's nothing I can tell them. All they have to do is keep it there mentally and the game is theirs.

"That's what happens with veteran players. They've finally learned how to pull out these kinds of games," Martini added.

"(Mars) definitely kicked in and cut down on their errors and forced us to make errors," said Knoch coach Diane Geist.

"I thought we played tough. I wish we could have won for our seniors. It's tough for them," Geist added.

The Knights (9-3, 7-3) jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first game, but the Planets eventually took a 17-13 lead. Knoch responded by scoring the next three points to climb ahead before going on to win the game.

In the second game, Mars jumped out to a five-point lead, 14-9, but the Knights tied the game at 19. Three more ties followed before the Planets (15-1, 10-0) scored the final two points to even the match.

Knoch followed up by winning the third set, despite 16 ties along the way, nine coming at 15-all to the end of the game.

In the fourth game, Knoch grabbed the first three points before Mars answered with seven straight, behind the serving of Jordan Bossong.

Mars enjoyed a 12-6 lead before the Knights chiseled away and forced a 15-all tie by scoring three consecutive points.

Mars, however, scored 10 of the next 12 points, including the final six, to win 25-17 and to force a fifth set. Kelly Berry had a bevy of kills to lead the charge and finished with 21 kills.

She was aided by the play of team co-captain Alyssa Skoff, who was playing in her first game since being sidelined with an recent injury.

"Her and Kelly Berry had such a connection," said Martini. "They couldn't stop (Berry)."

Mars scored the first two points of the fifth set before Knoch took the next three. That would be the last time the Knights led as Mars surged to retake a 5-3 lead.

Mars was clinging to a 10-8 lead before winning five of the final six points to wrap up the game and the match.

"We knew it would be a rough game," said Geist. "Mars is a really good team and plays good defense."

"We did expect a fifth set," said Martini, whose team defeated Knoch in five sets earlier this season.

"My team is becoming fifth-game winners. I told the guys this is prepping us for the playoffs. … It was a great game."

Notes:

Jodi Leopold added 11 kills and 16 digs and co-captain Lacee Beitler 30 digs for Mars. Knoch received 14 kills and 15 points from Ashley Thrower, 13 kills from Carly Whisler and 18 points from Leanne Wiefling.