Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge volleyball players celebrate after scoring a point on Tuesday in the Dodger gym. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Sometimes in sports, it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

The Fort Dodge volleyball team dropped the first set against Ames on Tuesday night, but stormed back with three straight victories.

The Dodgers (6-3 overall, 2-0 in the Iowa Alliance North Division) controlled the Little Cyclones (3-7, 1-1) the rest of the way, winning 25-19, 25-21 and 25-18 to take the match.

Fort Dodge topped Ames in volleyball for the first time since 2020. Ames holds a 17-6 advantage over the Dodgers since 2008.

“These girls have been working hard and their attitudes have really been great,” said FDSH head coach Lexi Astor. “They have carried over their winning ways from other sports, and have learned how to carry a winning mentality.”

The turning point in the match came in the second game, as the Dodgers held a slim 20-19 advantage trying to knot the match. Ames senior D’Niaya Settles had burned the Dodgers for four points — three times serving — up to that point, and was at the line.

Settles is the Iowa Alliance Conference leader in kills with 57, and was 64-for-69 serving with nine aces coming into the match.

“She is the first server with a topspin that we’ve seen all season,” Astor said. “I kept telling the girls we have to hold our feet and keep moving up. They started to figure it out.”

The Dodgers were able to stop Settles this time, then closed out the game and kept the momentum.

It took a while for FDSH to get going, as it had trouble finding a rhythm and committed too many unforced errors.

“We have been emphasizing working on one point at a time,” Astor said. “You have to have a short memory and move on to the next point.

“We have been talking about playing hard until the ball is dead. You saw it in the last three sets, as they were diving for balls and keeping rallies going.”

During film sessions, senior Mackenzie McIlrath spotted something on tape and was able to use that to their advantage. McIlrath was able to hit cross-court to an open spot five times with no returns.

“When we were watching film, she said, ‘Coach, I saw something.’ I told her to use it. Kenzie did it, and it came at crucial points,” Astor said. “A lot of that comes from setting.

“It was a key for us, because you take one of their big hitters out and it forces them out of system.”

McIlrath had 11 kills, while sophomore LJ Maehl added six. Junior Cadence Touney recorded two blocks, while senior Macy Brown had 11 digs.

Junior Braxtyn Dencklau was 8-for-10 serving with four aces. Senior Liv Totten had 24 assists.

In the crucial third set, Fort Dodge took an 8-4 advantage before the Little Cyclones tied it at 10. The league foes traded points before the Dodgers gained a four-point advantage.

“Meah (McCaleb) and Kenzie have great vision. They stay calm and collected,” Astor said. “Both are versatile and can go with the big hit, or adjust to what the opponents defense is giving them.”

Ames went on a 5-0 run for a 17-16 lead, but Fort Dodge closed the game on a 9-4 run.

McCaleb had a strong serving night for the Dodgers and was a defensive stalwart. The junior was 20-for-21 serving with three aces. She finished with eight kills and had nine digs as well.

With a 16-14 advantage in Game 4, Fort Dodge went on a 6-2 run to gain the advantage at 22-16, then closed out the match with a comfortable victory.

The Fort Dodge JV2 team won, 21-18 and 21-10. The Dodgetr JV1 lost, 21-19 and 21-15.

The Dodger freshman A squad won 21-11 and 21-16, while the B team fell, 21-5 and 21-8.

Fort Dodge is back in action on Tuesday at Mason City for a 7:15 p.m. first serve.