Horizon Honors pulled off a repeat performance from a month ago on Tuesday night thus making its Division III section-title chase a fight to the finish.

Shrugging off set points in each of the first and fourth sets, No. 6 Horizon Honors claimed a 27-25, 24-26, 25-22, 28-26 triumph over host and No. 1 Chandler Prep. Chandler Prep is now 29-5 overall and 13-1 in power-ranking matches. Horizon Honors improved to 21-3, 11-2.

As scores indicated the match could have gone either way. Horizon Honors coach Kris Maglunog acknowledged as much.

"Crucial blocks, missed serves those things were huge," Maglunog said. "They missed some serves at set point and the match could have gone the other way.  It came down to the little things."

Junior opposite/setter Alexa Smythe paced Horizon Honors with 12 kills and 16 assists. Middle Alexis Gomes (nine kills, six blocks) and outside hitter Erica Kendree (eight kills) were also effective. Michelle Ogle topped the Eagles with 22 assists. Perhaps the key performance came from freshman middle Olivia Moran. Moran subbed out often, but came up with five kills and six blocks in limited floor time. Moran's last kill closed the match -- Horizon Honors third attempt at match point.

What made life difficult for Chandler Prep was a penchant to fall behind and play catch-up most of the match. That was counter to what's gone on during the season. Chandler Prep led most of the way in the first set, but failed to convert on two set points. Both times Smythe came up with kills to to prolong the set. Chandler trailed by six in the second set, but rallied to win. The fourth set is also trailed by six as late as 18-12. The Titans had set point at 24-23, but a service error evened the count. That was their only shot at set point in the set.

"One of the advantages we've had is getting out fast," Chandler Prep coach Sarah Baughman said. "It seemed like we were always having to stop the bleeding. We did come all the way back (second set), and are capable of doing that. Had to do it too often tonight."

Chandler Prep set the ball often to junior Taylor Sheppy, who mixed up attacks all night to the tune of 29 kills, including 10 in the fourth set. Jessica Bell added 14 kills and setter Julia Turpin kept Horizon Honors off balance with several dumps (six). 

The victory was Horizon Honors second over Chandler Prep this season. The Eagles knocked off Chandler Prep in Chandler Prep's  invitational-title match in September and thist one knocked the Titans from the ranks of the power-ranking match unbeatens. Horizon Honors and Chandler Prep are battling Florence and Valley Christian for the D-III Section VIII title. That race is very tight now with Chandler Prep and Valley Christian 7-1 in the section, Florence 6-1 and Horizon Honors 5-1. Chandler Prep likely would have clinched the section title with a victory on Tuesday since it has already faced the other three section contenders.