Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge's Grace Nichols concentrates on Tuesday against Mason City. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

What seemed like an easy night for the Fort Dodge volleyball team turned south quickly on Tuesday in their 2025 home opener.

The Dodgers (1-6 overall) cruised to convincing victories in the first two sets, but a pivotal stretch in Game 3 swung the momentum Mason CIty’s way.

The Riverhawks would ultimately prevail in five sets.

Fort Dodge won the first two sets, 25-13 and 25-21.

The Dodgers grabbed a 20-16 lead in Game 3 and looked like they were about to close the door, but Mason City went on a 5-0 run to take a 21-20 lead before Maeleena Meyer recorded a kill to tie the contest at 21-all.

The Riverhawks then recorded four straight points to send the contest to Game 4. It was Mason City’s first set victory of the season, and the visitors went on a 9-1 run to close out the victory.

The Riverhawks turned the tide in Game 4, cruising to a 25-15 victory. Mason City then slammed the door shut and put a cap on the rally with a 15-9 win.

Fort Dodge burst out to a 9-3 lead in the third set, but the Riverhawks quietly crept back in after the Dodgers had gone up by as many as eight points at 15-7.

In the fourth, Mason City came out strong with a 12-5 edge. Fort Dodge had the deficit trimmed to 15-11 before the Riverhawks pulled away with a 10-4 burst.

Game 5 went back and forth early, with Fort Dodge building an early 4-1 lead. The Riverhawks closed out the match with a 14-5 exclamation point.

The Dodgers looked strong in the first two sets. They scored seven of the final eight points in the opener, with sophomore Grace Nichols recording three kills and two blocks in that stretch.

Fort Dodge is back in action on Tuesday when they face seventh-ranked Humboldt.