When Manitou Springs and CSCS battled in volleyball Tuesday night, it was one of those sporting events that kept the crowd buzzing in the gym well after the final point hit the floor.

The Mustangs outlasted their Class 3A Tri-Peaks rivals 25-21, 25-19, 14-25, 22-25, 18-16 in a match that will be hard to top by any teams in the state this season.

“That ranks up there in the top 3 of the craziest matches ever I’ve been a part of,” said first-year Manitou Springs coach Jane Squires, who has been a volleyball coach for several decades. “The back-and-forth and the way the two teams battled was great. It was exactly the type of match we needed.”

The spectators, coaches and players needed a few minutes to catch their breath after this one was over.

The host Mustangs (8-3, 4-0 3A Tri-Peaks) took control in the first two sets, leading most of the way and dictating play. However, CSCS (9-1, 5-1) showed why it’s also one of the top teams in the state in 3A, as it breezed to the third set win by 11 points and overcame an 18-15 deficit in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth.

“Somehow, we always find a way to fight back,” said CSCS senior Abby Skrastins, who led the way with 22 kills. “This is a scrappy team, and we have a lot of good defenders, which we pride ourselves on. We would love to play them again at state – that would be insane.”

If the two teams play the way they did Tuesday, it’s easy to envision both being at the state tournament in November.

For all the credit CSCS deserves for never giving up, which included fighting off six match points in the fifth set, Manitou Springs should garner just as much.

The Mustangs were persistent throughout the fifth set, never allowing CSCS to serve for the match. Still, senior outside hitter Katie McKiel, who also had 22 kills, wants to see more killer instinct from her team.

“I think we have that instinct in us, but right now we have to focus on maintaining our energy and not let it be a roller coaster,” she said. “In the huddle before the fifth set, we knew they were going to come out and fight, but that was probably the most composed we’ve been all season. It was a good lesson for us.”

The atmosphere in Manitou Springs’ gym was loud and electric, especially when the match hung in the balance in the final set. It was a big-game type feeling – one that can usually only be found at regionals or state.

CSCS coach Lori Currier loved the fight her team showed, and was happy with the experience her girls will take from this great clash.

“It’s really hard to come back from being down two sets, especially against a team like that,” Currier said. “I was thrilled with how they played. Building on what we did in sets three and four, I think we’re really starting to mesh as a team. This will help a lot when we see other teams like this.”

Everyone in the gym Tuesday night could agree on one thing – a sequel between these teams this season would be welcomed.