Metea Valley middle hitter Olivia Stewart said she feels the Mustangs have battled all year, even if it hasn’t resulted in wins.

The Mustangs turned that fight into a win Thursday in DeKalb, when Stewart and her Metea Valley teammates lost the first set but battled back for a 16-25, 25-19, 25-16 win over the Barbs.

“It’s something we’ve kind of been doing all season, get down and have that fight,” Stewart said. “But usually we don’t make it in the end. Today, we proved that fight can end in a win.”

Stewart was bringing a big swing all day for the Mustangs (14-20 overall, 2-8 DuPage Valley Conference). She had a key block late as well, putting her club up 22-15.

In the second set, she had a kill that put the Mustangs up 11-10, and DeKalb middle hitter Jordan Grant hurt her thumb on the block attempt, missing the rest of the set.

Both DeKalb coach Keith Foster and Metea Valley coach Dave MacDonald said that was a turning point in the match.

“It was just messy in that second set,” Foster said. “And in that third set we just didn’t rebound from it.”

The 6-foot-1 Grant finished with a kill and six blocks for the Barbs.

But when she left, the Metea Valley attack improved, not just from Stewart but from Raina Parekh and Annie Burke, who all came away with kills in key situations.

MacDonald said Stewart only plays about 3½ rotations, so the four-year starter and captain makes the most of her time on the court.

“When she gets in, she wants to get after it,” MacDonald said. “Her and [setter] Ashley Ward are doing a great job of finding that connection late in the season, which is what we need.”

The game wrapped up the regular season for both teams. The Mustangs face Naperville North in a Class 4A St. Charles East Regional semifinal on Tuesday.

The Huskies swept the Mustangs twice this year, but Metea Valley reached at least 20 points in three of the four sets.

“It’s exactly the momentum we needed going into the playoffs,” Stewart said. “I think this is going to push us against North. We’ve seen them twice already and I know we can get there this last time.”

Cayla Gordon finished with eight blocks for the Barbs (15-20, 1-9). Jaden Longeville had 22 assists and 14 digs. Molly Fell had 17 digs while Mia Zepeda added 12 digs and three kills.

Cam Hilliard had 12 kills, two blocks and four aces while Melia Robinson had 11 kills for the Barbs. Foster said Robinson has been improving throughout the season and is getting speedier and more confident in her swing.

“When she slows her arm swing down, that’s when she struggles,” Foster said. “She did a good job tonight of just swinging away. That takes confidence. And she has the support of the coaching staff and the team to go out there and say you know what, I’m going to swing heavy and if I make an error, I know I’m supported.”

The Barbs open the postseason at the Class 4A Rockford Guilford Regional facing the host school at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The teams haven’t met this year, although the Barbs did beat Belvidere North twice this year. The Blue Thunder, conference foes of the Vikings, split a pair of meetings with Guilford this year.

“We feel like we could be a tough out,” Foster said. “I know for a fact we’re fighters. We’re never out. I don’t care what the score reads. We’re never out.”