Propelled by a second-game rally, Des Moines Roosevelt swept Fort Dodge in the Dodgers’ volleyball home opener here Tuesday night.

Games scores were 25-17, 25-22, 25-16.

The Dodgers held a five-point lead for most of the second game, going ahead 10-5 early and still leading 15-10 before the Roughriders started to rally.

Led by sophomore hitter Grace Cumming, though, Roosevelt (9-5 overall)?chipped away and went ahead 22-21 when the Dodgers (4-7) mishandled a pass. After Beth Murman had a kill for the Dodgers to tie it at 22-all, Cumming again delivered with back-to-back kills and the Roughriders led 24-22.

Piper Mauck then delivered an ace serve to close out the game.

“I really thought we were going to play them a lot closer than we did,”?said Dodger coach Tonia Burrell. “We came in with the right attitude. We just need a lot more kids to step up.

“We had a lot of heart and a lot of energy in that second game. To lose the way we did was disappointing. We just can’t have any mistakes and we gave them a lot of points without having to do anything.”

Cumming finished with eight kills in the second game alone.

Fort Dodge’s only lead in the first game was 2-1. Roosevelt opened up a 14-8 advantage early and the Dodgers only could get within three points from there. Cumming had seven kills in the opener.

In game three, Roosevelt never trailed. Cumming had three kills and Mauck added two kills and a block.

Burrell said Macuk’s passing was a big key to Roosevelt’s success.

“She had one job: to confuse our hitters,” Burrell said. “And she did it well.”

Murman led the Dodgers with 15 kills and added 10 digs. Alexis Erickson had 12 digs, and Kacee Gollob had six kills.

Josie Shirbroun recorded 20 assists, and Molly Hartman led the with 8-of-9 serving.

“Beth is a leader. That’s just who she is,” said Burrell. “I am hoping the other girls can start to be as aggressive.”

Roosevelt swept the lower-level games. The JV scores were 23-21 and 21-19; the Roughrider sophomores prevailed, 21-14 and 21-17; and the freshman won both the A and B matches.

The Dodgers return to action Thursday at Des Moines East.