Even when igniting a fire within.

Facing a straight-set exit from their home court Tuesday evening, the Lady Badgers’ Hailey Morrison finally lit the team’s inner fuse by delivering a set-clinching kill.

In the process, the junior triggered an improbable comeback against Brownwood that did not end until the fifth match point of a tense tiebreaking set was secured on Madison Morris’ grenade-like kill, which caused the Lampasas bench to explode in elation.

“That was a true test of heart,” Lady Badgers head coach Beth Rutland said of the 16-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25- 14, 19-17 victory. “[There is no limit to] what we can do when we put our minds to it, and play with effort and the talent we have.

“It can be amazing.”

While the five-set emotional roller coaster ended on a high note for Lampasas, it easily could have gone the other way.

Left: Hailey Morrison eyes a kill. The junior posted a team-high 14 kills against Brownwood. Above: Libero Darien Williams lays out for one of her dozen digs. After rallying to tie the match at two sets apiece, the Lady Badgers lost the first five points of the fifth set before they embarked on a 13-3 run, thanks in part to Tealey Farquhar’s serving.

Lampasas scored nine consecutive points, including eight in a row off Farquhar’s serves, to wrestle control away from the Lady Lions before establishing a five-point lead at 13-8.

“The quote I’ve read before is,

If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,’ ” Rutland said. “Tealey took over, and she had them completely on their heels with her serving. They were intimidated by her.”

In a repeat of earlier events, however, Brownwood put together

run of its own by scoring seven of the next eight points to thwart a Lady Badgers’ match point and establish a 15-14 advantage.

Lampasas avoided disaster when the Lady Lions were penalized for hitting the ball four times on one possession, but a Lady Badgers service error immediately gave Brownwood its second match point at 16-15.

With the outcome teetering, Morris blocked a Lady Lions kill to tie the score once again at 16-16. A Brownwood hitting error gave Lampasas its second shot at victory, but the Lady Badgers could not capitalize, and Kelsey Gober’s kill made the score 17-17.

Then the Lady Lions shot themselves in the foot when Shelbie Harry was called for a lift on the following point.

Leading 18-17, Lampasas made its third match point its last, as Morris delivered the winning kill off a set from Morrison.

Although nondistrict victories are meaningless in the big scheme of things, Rutland believes a loss to Brownwood would have been a devastating blow to her team’s collective psyche.

Setter Kasandra Hirst increased her assist total to 114 for the season after posting 11 against the Lady Lions during Tuesday evening’s victory. Especially after climbing out of the grave.

“When you play that hard and lose, it’s crushing,” the coach said. “If we would have just folded up the tent in the third set, it wouldn’t have hurt as bad, but when you give it everything you have, it hurts more.

“They were determined to win, but we can’t dig ourselves into a two-set hole every time and expect to fight out of it.”

Early in the match, the Lady Badgers provided very few signs of life.

After taking an 8-7 lead in the first set, the Lady Lions won 10 of the next 11 points and cruised to victory. In the second set, Lampasas held another onepoint advantage at 9-8 before Brownwood used an 11-3 run to pull away.

With defeat looming, Lampasas opened the third set by building a 6-2 lead but, once again, the Lady Lions roared back by posting five consecutive points.

The remainder of the set mimicked the sport itself, as the advantage bounced like a ball back and forth between the teams until seniors Laura Leavell and Morris scored on consecutive blocks to set the stage for Morrison’s momentum-altering kill.

“The whole third game was a struggle,” Rutland said. “We did just enough to keep the score close.”

With enthusiasm on their side, the Lady Badgers saw a preview of things to come when Farquhar served for six straight points, including consecutive aces, to make the score 7-0.

The Lady Lions fought their way to within two points at 12-10, but they could not get any closer, and Lampasas easily collected a 25-14 win to force the tiebreaker.

“The effort in the fourth game really came along with the energy [Morrison’s kill to end the third set] created,” Rutland said. “Once that fourth game hit, boom, the momentum turned.”

Morrison finished the match with a team-high 14 kills, 11 digs, two aces, two assisted blocks and one very impressed coach.

“Wow,” Rutland said of the outside hitter’s performance. “I’m really glad the cylinders are clicking for her, because she can put it wherever she wants it.”

Complementing Morrison’s showing were Farquhar, who posted seven kills and five aces in the win, and Morris -- who had 10 kills, seven aces, two solo blocks and two assisted blocks. Senior middle blocker Kendal Conner added three kills, two blocks and helped out on another.

“It is exciting to watch when they are all on because we can spread it around, and it keeps the defense on the other side guessing,” Rutland said. “It gives us more looks and more options, and we have the talent to do it because we have good hitters.”

Putting the quartet in position to thrive were setters Mariah Jones and Kasandra Hirst, who combined for 25 assists against Brownwood (4-13).

The Lady Badgers (8-7) travel to Rockdale today for a 5:30 p.m. match before concluding play at the Robinson tournament Saturday.

***

Lampasas’ junior varsity team also survived an early scare against Brownwood by bouncing back from an opening-set loss to beat the Lady Lions 21-25, 25-17, 25-15.

The Lady Badgers fell behind by five points, 7-2, to start the match, and the deficit grew to nine points at 17-8 before they began to rally.

Lampasas tied the set at 18-18 but could not pull out the win.

After falling behind 5-4 to begin the second set, the Lady Badgers took control of the contest and collected the match-tying victory.

Brownwood built another lead to start the third set, but a 14-1 run helped put Lampasas up for good.

The Lady Badgers freshman team was not as fortunate. It lost in straight sets (25-20, 25-21) on the home floor.

“They are still learning to fight at the end,” Rutland said. “They need to get a little tougher mentally. I felt like they did a really good job up front, but they just need to learn how to finish.

“I was extremely pleased with the J V.”

Both teams will play Rockdale today at 4:30 p.m. Lampasas vs.

Brownwood

Results

Varsity

Win: 16-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-14, 19-17

Junior Varsity Win: 21-25, 25-17,

25-15

Freshmen Loss: 25-20, 25-21