Lawrence High's Rachel Van Horn celebrates a point. LHS upended Shawnee Mission West on Thursday at LHS.

Lawrence High’s volleyball team was flying high after a thrilling, come-from-behind 14-25, 25-20, 27-25 victory against Shawnee Mission West Thursday night at the LHS Triangular.

Then came the one-and-a-half-hour wait.

The Lions had considerably less roar in them when they took the court to face their other opponent, Shawnee Mission East. The result was a disheartening 25-18, 25-13 follow-up loss.

“Triangulars are always hard because the home team has to sit out the second game, and you get cold,” LHS outside hitter Lindsey Murray said.

What transpired in between the Lions’ two matches was another three-game comeback – this one by SM East over SM West.

Lawrence head coach Stephanie Magnuson said that left the Lancers much more prepared when they began the final match of the night against LHS.

“Shawnee Mission East was coming off a pretty strong, emotional match the same way that we had played,” Magnuson said. “So, they were already on an emotional high, and that helped them out quite a bit.”

Magnuson made a point to her players, though, for them not to forget what they accomplished in the opening act.

“They played with a lot of heart and aggressiveness,” Magnuson said, “and three weeks ago we wouldn’t have been swinging at balls 25-25, and tonight we were.”

After Lawrence squandered a 10-point lead in the final game against SM West, the Vikings had two chances to put the match away but failed to do so. With LHS trailing 25-24, Murray’s kill on the back line kept the Lions alive, and her block on the next point gave them the lead for good.

“Coach kind of got on us and said ‘we’re Lions, we don’t lose on our floor,'” Murray said. “We just got our act together because we don’t like losing in front of our fans.”

Middle blocker Tayler Tolefree was also instrumental in preserving the victory, using her 6-foot-1 frame to block SM West’s attacks.

“It helps looking at the other side to block,” Tolefree said of her height advantage. “I can hit over them or be smarter and hit around them.”

Murray and Tolefree led the Lions in kills with 14 and 10, respectively. Tolefree also contributed six blocks. Setter Rachel Van Horn had 24 assists and libero Emily Bracciano had 10 digs.

LHS (6-9) returns to action at home on Saturday in the Joan Wells Invitational.