That held true when Sheffield visited Eisenhower Tuesday for a county volleyball clash. Both the Wolverines and Knights made their share of mistakes, but Sheffield won that battle, 32-59, and came away with a 3-1 match win.

“We were just flat tonight,” Sheffield coach Melissa Lemay said. “A win is a win, but tonight was just . . . blah.”

Eisenhower jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the first set. Sheffield battled back to within a point at 6-5, but Eisenhower began methodically pulling away. Three straight Bridget Gourley aces had the Knights on top, 15-9. The Wolverines climbed right back in it as a pair of Emily Leichtenberger kills sandwiched a Lynzie Grubbs block and suddenly it was 15-14. Eisenhower responded with a 4-0 run to go back up 19-14. A service error gave Sheffield a side out and Leichtenberger stepped to the line and served eight straight points to put the Wolverines ahead, 23-20. Eisenhower came back to tie at 23-23. Megan Johnson tipped the ball over for Sheffield to give the Wolverines set point at 24-23. The Knights tied and back and forth it went to 26-26. Eisenhower got to set point and Gourley served an ace to close out the 28-26 win.

“We lost the first set and I think the girls were a little shellshocked,” Lemay said. “We may have been a little overconfident after (defeating Eisenhower three times in the Sheffield Tournament Saturday).”

Eisenhower’s Madi Green puts down a block during the fourth set of a match against Sheffield at Eisenhower High School, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. The Wolverines topped the Knights in four sets.

The second set was much more even as neither team led by more than two points until a Leichtenberger ace gave Sheffield a 14-11 advantage. A second ace made it 16-11 and the Wolverines didn’t allow the Knights to get closer than three the rest of the way. Tori Childress served back-to-back aces to close out the 25-16 Sheffield win.

“Our passing game broke down after the first game,” Eisenhower coach Scott Olson said.

Eisenhower again jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the third, but Sheffield clawed right back in it and took the lead at 9-8. The Knights retook the lead at 13-12, but the Wolverines got it back at 16-15. Back-to-back Leichtenberger aces and a Grubbs block pushed the advantage to 19-15. Sheffield surrendered just three more points the rest of the way and took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-18 win.

“It wasn’t until the middle of the third game that our energy level got up,” Lemay said. “We have to find a way to maintain that intensity and get it through the entire match.”

Eisenhower led in the early going of the fourth set, but Sheffield took the lead at 6-5 and never relinquished. The Wolverines slowly pulled away as the set went on. The Knights closed the gap to 16-13 on an Emiley Wheeler block, but the Wolverines again allowed only three more points the rest of the way and closed out the match with a 25-16 win.

Sheffield's Megan Johnson (1) sets to a teammate during the second set of a match against Eisenhower at Eisenhower High School, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. Johnson had 26 assists on the night as the Wolverines topped the Knights in four sets.

“We haven’t found anyone to fill the void left by Currie (Hultman),” Olson said. “We need someone to step up and we haven’t done that consistently.”

Wheeler led the Knights with 13 digs, eight kills and five blocks. Gourley and Hannah Newcamp had nine digs each with Gourley adding a pair of kills and six aces. Rayna Hultman had 17 assists and five kills.

Leichtenberger had 12 kills and six aces for the Wolverines. Grubbs had six kills and three blocks, while Annabel Sheldon had 13 digs and Johnson had 26 assists.

Eisenhower won the junior varsity match, 25-21 and 25-15.

Logan Grove had three kills, two aces and a dig. Phoebe Tower had 11 service points, four digs and two aces in the win.

Eisenhower hosts Mercyhurst Prep Thursday, while Sheffield will travel to Johnsonburg.