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CHARLESTON - Ritchie County finally lost a set, but it didn't matter to the Rebels here Saturday inside the Charleston Civic Center as the squad from Ellenboro knocked off Frankfort to capture the school's second Class AA volleyball championship.

The Rebels of first-year head coach Katrina White had won each of their six sets on Friday, but the Falcons came out strong and took an early edge in the championship with a 25-19 victory. However, the Rebels turned it on after that and won their first crown since 2004 by capturing the final three sets 25-15, 25-20 and 25-23.

"It was nerve-wracking," said Rebel senior Whitney Boston, who joined teammates Tabitha Ezell, Brittnay Spencer and Allison DeLancey on the all-tournament team.

Despite losing that first set, Boston said the Rebels (38-5-2) weren't too worried.

"It's very exciting," Boston added. "Our coach told us to keep our heads up. This is the last game we'll ever play and it's just an amazing feeling."

The trio of Boston, Ezell and Spencer played their final match for Ritchie County along with teammates Leandra Villers and Alaina Sellers.

"This is awesome. Words can't explain how you feel right now," said Spencer, who produced a kill to close set four to 23-22 and then tallied three straight service points to seal the Rebels' crown.

Ritchie County had little answer for Falcon Taylor Rice in the first set as she had a trio of aces to help head coach Mike Carder's team to a 15-9 cushion. Alieshia Porter's back row attack kill gave Frankfort set point and the Rebels were in a 1-0 hole.

In the second set, Ezell's ace put the Rebels ahead 2-1 early and a Villers push kill into an open area made it 3-1. The Rebels continued to expand their cushion thanks to a couple of Boston service tallies and by the time Spencer got an ace it was 17-6 and the match was on the way to being even at one.

Another DeLancey downed spike gave RCHS a 5-1 lead early in set three, but consecutive aces from libero Madison Shambaugh made it 6-5 Falcons.

RCHS finally went ahead for good at 14-13 on a Villers kill and a Regan Stout kill-block on Porter turned the momentum in favor of the Rebels, who led 19-13 after an Ezell ace.

After Villers got set point and the Rebels needed just one more victory, it looked like the match might go to a fifth game when the Falcons got consecutive downed spikes from sophomore Saydi Whiteman for a 23-21 advantage.

However, Spencer would have none of it as the Rebel got a kill and then notched back-to-back aces to get Ritchie County to within one point of its state crown. Spencer was awarded match point when Falcon Taylor Douthitt had an attack error to end it.

"This one is precious," said coach White, the former assistant to previous head coach Marsha Knight. "This is something no one can take away from these kids, a state championship."

Porter, Rice and Morgan Snider also made the all-tournament team along with Oak Glen's Rainelle Dunlevy and Victoria Shomo of Philip Barbour, which won the sportsmanship award.

DeLancey (11), Villers (10), Spencer (eight) and Sellers (six) paced the Rebel hitting attack in kills. Ezell had 15 points and three aces while Spencer added 10 points and five aces. Rebel Erica Morton also contributed five service tallies and had an ace.