FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Untimely errors were unkind to Jim Thorpe in its Schuylkill League quarterfinal matchup with Blue Mountain on Monday.

The Eagles were able to take advantage of the Olympians miscues throughout the match to win in five sets 25-23, 16-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-11.

“We gave up too many points at just inopportune times tonight,” said Jim Thorpe head roach Chris Fallabel. “Blue Mountain is very good at going on offensive runs, and our errors tonight jump started some of those runs, and they were able to take advantage.”

Thorpe had a good chance to get out to a 1-0 lead as it took a 14-5 advantage in the first set, but five JT errors in six points helped Blue Mountain close the gap and eventually tie the score at 17-17.

The two squads would continue to battle back-and-forth, but Eagles senior Rosa Gergely took control with her team trailing 23-22. Gergely would power up, coming through with three straight kills to give Blue Mountain a 25-23 win.

The Olympians battled back in the second set, winning decisively 25-16 to make it 1-1 heading to the third. Brianna Snisky was big for Thorpe in both sets one and two, collecting six blocks and a bunch of kills. It was a Snisky kill over the middle in set two that capped off the JT win.

“Brianna Snisky was fantastic for us tonight. I can’t say enough about the way that she performed out there,” said Fallabel. “She was great on offense, but she was even tougher on defense. We had her with nine blocks tonight, which is you know, really impressive.”

In set three, errors again would be an issue for the Olympians. Thorpe once again got out to an early start (9-5), but miscues would help the Eagles close the deficit until the score was tied at 11-11. That’s when Blue Mountain would go on one of its runs and take an 18-12 lead.

Jim Thorpe would try and battle back, making a late push to get within two (24-22), but a kill from lefty Abby Thompson gave the Eagles the third-set victory.

“The girls went out there and played hard tonight. Rosa (Gergely) was really good for us. She has been our work horse all season long, and she came through for us in this one,” said Blue Mountain head coach Greg Gergely.

“We also got key kills from other girls in key moments. The only time we really struggled offensively tonight is when we were inconsistent from the service line and committed errors from back there. In the two sets we lost, that was a big issue for us.”

Thorpe would even the match at 2-2 in the fourth to stay alive because of some service error issues from the Eagles, and also a nice offensive frame from Snisky and Brooke Mitzen. Again, a Snisky strike from the middle would clinch the set win.

But in the fifth and deciding set, an early Eagles 4-1 start would propel them to a 15-11 victory. A kill from Gergely and Jaedyn Bartholomew, and an ace from Bethany Stein got Blue Mountain out on the right foot and the Olympians would never get closer than two points the rest of the set.

“We just kind of hung in there in this one and kept working. We have been through multiple five-set matches this season, so we didn’t panic,” said Gergely. “Even when things weren’t going great, the girls just kept playing hard and in the end we pulled it out.”

KILLING IT … Rosa Gergely led all players with 24 kills, and added 14 digs and two aces. For Thorpe, Snisky finished with 20 kills. Mitzen contributed 16 kills and Jaelynn Browdy ended with 15 kills.

NEXT UP … Blue Mountain will now face Pottsville at 7 p.m. tonight at Martz Hall in the Schuylkill League semis. Thorpe will start to prepare for the District 11 2A playoffs, where it is currently ranked No. 3 in the power ratings.