JEFFERSON - Tuesday night's contest in Jefferson was more than just a rubber match.

Coming off a five-set victory over Harrisburg in last Thursday's regular season finale, host Jefferson took down the Eagles again, this time in four games, to take the season series 2-1 and advance in the PacWest Conference playoffs.

Game scores were 25-21, 25-14, 20-25, 26-24.

Coming in with a four-game losing streak, Harrisburg looked to recapture its play from a 3-1 win over the Lions on Oct. 5 by shooting out to a 4-1 advantage in the match's opening set.

The lead wouldn't last long with Lexy Robertson taking the serves for the Lions. The junior, who had a total of seven kills and six digs, rattled off three aces to start an 11-3 Jefferson rally.

Harrisburg senior Chelsea McGowan, who had a team-high 11 kills and four blocks, led the Eagles' charge at the center of the net to help tie it at 21-21 before Jefferson's Alli Grizzel took her turn at service.

The team captain helped regain the momentum late in the Lions' 25-21 opening set win and carried it into the second as Jefferson tallied 12 straight scores for an 8-0 Game 2 lead.

Grizzel had a majority of her team-leading nine aces in Jefferson's eventual 25-14 set win. The senior said she was able to get into a groove thanks to some moral support from her teammates.

"I was really into it. I so wanted to win and my teammates told me to keep going so I just kept trying and kept it going," said Grizzel, who added 11 assists and two blocks.

"I help them out and they help me out. It is really a team thing and it really shows how much we can work as a team and win as a team. Hopefully we can keep it up and go pretty far."

Jefferson first-year head coach Deidre Eriksen hopes that her captain can also continue to be the team's catalyst.

"There is a reason why she is the team captain. She keeps the team together and definitely brings us up when we need to be brought up," said Eriksen of Grizzel. "And her serves are very consistent and that keeps us in the game."

Down two games and with its season on the line, Harrisburg responded with a 10-6 start to the third. The Eagles took control when Sarah Allen's serves sparked a 7-1 run en route to a 25-20 Game 3 victory.

Allen had five aces and six assists on the night.

"The first two games were not typical of our team and that was frustrating ... but I think they showed a lot of composure in that situation," said Harrisburg coach Jamie Tatum.

"They have fought through illness and injury to have a successful season ... and this is the first team in a long time that has made the district playoffs. They have been a real pleasure to coach."

Harrisburg looked destined to extend the season for at least another set by coming back from a

13-7 deficit to take a 24-23 lead in the fourth set, but Jefferson managed to extend the set and then finish the Eagles off by taking the final three points in the 26-24 clincher.

"We pretty much knew it was going to be a battle," Eriksen said after the match. "They've done really well with that this year. We know how to battle so if we can keep up our serves and keep defending then I think we will do pretty well."

Jefferson (8-7) continues its PacWest playoff run tonight at Regis.