By Ryan Tarletsky, sports editor
After the quarterfinal conference tournament victory Tuesday over Bethel College, head volleyball coach Martin Ayin remained stoic but was visibly tired and otherwise emotionless to the casual onlooker.

Then after he stepped into the confines of the locker room, screams and cheers releasing all the emotions that had built up throughout the night could be heard not only from Ayin but his players as well.

“We really struggled to find a rhythm,” Ayin said. “But we have found ourselves down 2 sets to 1 before, and we knew that we just had to win all the small points and build momentum.”

Although Friends was seeded third and Bethel sixth heading in to Tuesday night’s quarterfinal game of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament, records seem pointless when two rivals face off to keep their seasons alive.

After dropping the first set 25-23, Friends bounced back to win the next set 25-23. But when Bethel won the next set 25-20 to become one set away from moving on, the Falcons knew they had to lean on their leadership, All-Conference seniors Carrie Kahn and Courtney McCune.

“We knew we had to stay together as a team,” said junior outside hitter Alyssa Underwood. “We never gave up, even when we were down.”

After winning the next set 25-21, the home gym crowd grew louder and gave the Falcons that much more momentum.

“It was exciting for all of us,” Underwood said. “It was so loud in there, we had to win.”

Sophomore outside hitter Crystal Taporco said it was one of the most exciting games she had ever been a part of, as the Falcons would go on to win the fifth set 17-15.

The next challenge for the Falcons is a semi-final match against Tabor College, which beat the Falcons in both matches this season.

“I feel like we beat ourselves both times we played,” Ayin said of the Tabor games. “We were even up 2 sets against them at home but let them get back in it.”

The Falcons continue their road to the KCAC Championship at 6 tonight in Salina.