Last year’s Tri-Rivers District volleyball champs didn’t have it as easy as they did last year against Franklin High School.

After Franklin tied Thursday’s match at one game apiece, Windsor High School recovered to win the next two games and won the match 25-9, 16-25, 25-16, 26-24.

Windsor jumped all over Franklin 25-9 in the first game, and it appeared the Lady Dukes (6-6) might have a blowout. Franklin took a 6-5 lead in Game 2 and never trailed. After Windsor had scored three straight points on Franklin unforced errors to cut the Franklin lead to 19-15, the Lady Broncos came back and scored six of the last seven points to hang on for the 25-16 win.

Franklin’s momentum built it a 4-0 lead in Game 3. Finally, Windsor settled down. The Lady Dukes took the lead at 6-5 when Tiffany Rapp’s serve was not returned. Windsor never trailed and put together an 8-point run to go up 19-9 and seal the Game 3 win. Tiffany Rapp scored three points in the run, including two kills, and Windsor’s Shori Spencer scored three service points.

Again Franklin (1-5) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in Game 4 and led 5-1 when Victoria Barrett scored on a spike. Windsor methodically recovered, and the teams see-sawed for much of the match. Franklin took a 23-20 lead when Windsor’s Taylor Gay spiked a ball into the net. Franklin’s Courtney Thompson returned the favor, and two straight tips by Windsor’s Spencer tied the game at 23-23.

Windsor took a 24-23 lead when Franklin’s Barrett knocked a ball out after it hit the ceiling. Franklin tied the game at 24-24 when Windsor’s Felisha Holcomb tipped a ball out of bounds. But a bad serve by Thompson and a spike by Falls gave the Lady Dukes a 26-24 Game 4 win.

Windsor head coach Jeff Burchette said his team made a breakthrough Thursday night.

“Usually when we get down five or six points and come back, we have not finished the job. Tonight is the first time we were down three at the end and did come back and finish the job,” he said. “That is something we have to work on.”

Burchette said the Lady Dukes had to make adjustments after Franklin came back in Game 2. “They came back and played very well after the first game,” he said.

Franklin coach Marilyn Freeman said the Lady Broncos played well despite the loss.

“They hustled really well. They have been improving on teamwork,” she said. “That is the thing I am most proud of – that tonight we really played as a team – so that’s a great accomplishment for them. We made some mistakes, but we are going to work those out.”