The seventh time was the charm for Genoa-Kingston in Monday’s non-conference match with Rochelle. Six times, the Cogs tied the Hubs in the second and deciding set of the contest, only to relinquish the lead.

Finally, after pulling even for the seventh time, G-K rallied for a 6-1 run to win the set 25-20 and clinch the match. The Cogs won the first set by the same score.

Presley Meyer’s seventh kill of the night knotted the second contest for the last time at 19. Teammate Jessie Fredrickson followed with another spike to put the Cogs in front for only the third time in the set. The sophomore notched a match-high nine kills.

After two more G-K points, a spike by Hub Jillian Bruns (four kills, five digs, two aces) momentarily sidelined the Cogs’ rally. A Kieragan Gleissner block returned service to G-K and the Cogs finished out the match scoring on a Rochelle hitting error and a Fredrickson ace.

“We knew our game plan going in. We kind of let up on that, but we’re finally able to finish towards the end. I felt that defensively we started playing really well,” said G-K coach Taylor Spellman. “I think that their game plan was to get our setters out of first contact. So once we were able to get that first ball and put it down where we wanted to, that was the turning point.”

G-K (9-7) did take one-point leads twice after tying the set, only to have Rochelle (10-8) retie the contest and retake the lead. Rochelle led by as many as four points before the first stalemate at 8-8. After that tie, the Hubs largest margin was two points.

Blocking was also key in the set.

“Unfortunately, we got some great blocks that we didn’t get a first or second touch from that I think we should have,” Rochelle coach Molly Sly said. “They were able to do that. I think that’s the difference.

A change in match strategy played a role.

“We’ve been working on a new rotation, and I think it’s been helping us a lot with connections between the setters and hitters,” Fredrickson said.

GK only needs to come from behind once in the opening set. After scoring the opening point, the Cogs gave up four straight to Rochelle on a Meredith Burns kill and three straight Emma Metzger aces.

Momentum then swung back to G-K. An Annabell Peters spike tied the set at 5-5 and sparked a 6-0 run that put the Cogs in front for good.

Addison Langton, GK’s libero, dove for 21 digs.

In addition to seven kills, Meyer assisted on 11 points and had two aces. Fredrickson also had seven digs. Teammate Arielle Rich notched nine assists and seven digs

Both Jaydin Dickey and Meredith Bruns tallied seven digs for the Hubs. Briel Metzger made three Rochelle kills.