AUSTINTOWN — It has been 15 years since the Austintown Fitch Falcons volleyball team last played for a district championship.

Back then, the team was two years removed from playing under Fitch Hall of Fame coach Tom Case, where three of his teams went to the state final four (1999, 2001 and 2003).

It wasn’t easy Tuesday night for the Falcons to get back to that district title game, but they did, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to beat Massillon Perry in five sets, 26-24, 16-25, 23-25, 28-26, and 15-13.

The Falcons (18-4) were led by their passing game with Erin Burke (28) and Emma Bartlett’s (22) assists. Jocelyn Jourdan led Fitch with 30 kills. Alyssa Leskovac added 15 digs.

It was a reversal of fortune this time around after the Panthers (17-8) swept the Falcons back on Oct. 3.

Fitch lost the opening set 26-24 and had problems with Perry’s hitters Grace Miller and Erin Wagner along with their serving game.

“I think the first time we played them, there were some things rotation-wise that threw them off,” Perry coach Sheena Stropki said. “They came to win this time. They came to get revenge. They played great. We couldn’t stop their hitters. Our blocking wasn’t great tonight. Their hitters took advantage of that.”

Fitch coach Jody Bartlett felt the Falcons played their worst match all season when the two matched up earlier in the month and knew that they would have to play for every point if they were going to move on.

“We knew they were a good team,” she said. “Defense was what we knew we needed to work on. We needed to have good passes and cover the block. We struggled with that early on, but by the time we got to set three, we finally adjusted.

“Their opposite hitter (Miller), we knew was a great hitter. She burned us the last time. We knew we had to stop her. I think we finally started putting some blocks up against her in set three. It was definitely a game-changer.”

After the Falcons won the initial set, 26-24, the Panthers seized back momentum to win the second set 25-16 and then the third set 25-23 after nearly giving up a 10-2 advantage in the set.

Perry again jumped out to a big early lead in the fourth set, 10-1. Though the Falcons methodically chipped into the lead to finally get it tied up at 23 all.

“Jocelyn, my sophomore – game changer, she did a couple of things that hyped up the team at the right moment,” Bartlett said. “Not that she was the only one, but I think she had a couple of plays that really hyped everyone up.

“I do remember talking to them in the huddle and focusing on two kids and one of them I said, if you play with her enthusiasm, I know this one is hard, but we can win this. They knew that. They knew they were playing a little scared I guess, a little safe. They did what they wanted and needed to do.”

That they did as the Falcons faced match points twice at 24-23 and 26-25 only to see Sammi Misik’s serving get them the final two points needed to tie it up 2-2 heading into the final set.

“Their serving was definitely tough and our passing wasn’t great tonight,” Stropki said. “That really hurt us because when we can’t pass, we start to fall apart. For that to happen when we let them back and then lost those last two sets was tough.”

The final set was a back-and-forth affair as Fitch had a 13-11 lead until the Panthers tied it up at 13 all. The Falcons countered Ashton Knappenberger’s serve to make it game point. Samira McWreath would serve them to a district final.

Knappenberger led Perry with 24 digs. Miller finished with 14 kills and five blocks.

“We knew it was a battle point-by-point,” Bartlett said. “They had a long rally, those timeouts are really to give them a break. They were out of breath. We needed to take a breath and refocus. They went out and did it. They got a block when we needed it. They got a kill when we needed it. They probably underestimated us. I don’t think they knew what we were capable of coming in.”

The Falcons will get their shot at the district title when they face Nordonia on Saturday.