Rockdale volleyball coach Stephen Sansing has told his players numerous times throughout the season, "that's why we play three games."

On Thursday night he had to tell his players just once, "that's why we play five games."

Rockdale needed and used all five games against Northgate to win in the first round of the Class AAAA 3-2. In the playoffs, high school volleyball moves from a best-of-three series to a best-of-five, and Rockdale took advantage of the change.

"After I told them that and they perked up a little bit," Rockdale coach Stephen Sansing said. "

All five games were close as Rockdale dropped the first two 25-23, 25-23, but the Bulldogs turned the tables in game three taking it 25¬-22.

The Bulldogs were behind 10-6 in game three before outscoring the Vikings 7-3 out of a timeout to tie it at 13-13. They then took their first lead, 17-16, for the first time since early in the second.

"We lost as close as you can lose in the first two games, so we knew we could hang with them," Sansing said. "That wasn't a question, the problem was were we going to step up and play the way we were capable of, and we did."

Rockdale stepped up particularly on defense where they were able to not only get to more balls, but also deliver more quality passes out of them.

Those passes led to an easier time for setter Libby Bradford, in particular getting the ball to the right side hitter, Kendra Lackey. Lackey finished with 13 points, most of them coming in the last three games.

"Our defense stepped up in those last games, that's what got us greater passes and how may (kills Lackey had)," Sansing said. "Ninety percent of them probably came after the first two."

The addition of Lackey's stats led to a 25-22 win in the third game, before a decisive 15-points wins fifth and decisive game.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-3 lead before a Northgate timeout. After the Vikings got a point out of the break, Rockdale responded with a 6-3 run to pull away.

The Vikings brought it within three, 13-10, but Rockdale respoinded with kills by Abby Bradford and Jaida Allen to make it 14-10. After another Northgate point, Rockdale then finished it off on a bad pass by the Vikings.

"I told them (after the game), I've never been as proud of a team I coached as I was with them being down the first two and coming back."

Rockdale will now host Harris County on Tuesday in round two of the playoffs.

"This looked like a sweet 16 matchup," said Sansing of the Northgate matchup. "They're a great team. It took every effort that we had."