A cluster of fans began packing up early and filing out of Free State High’s gym Tuesday evening, thinking their Firebirds easily had swept their way to a volleyball victory in two sets.

Not so fast.

Unlike most scheduled meets, Tuesday evening’s matchup featured only two teams, meaning best-of-five set rules rather than best-of-three.

A fantastic start for the Firebirds turned into a fantastically frustrating finish. Free State squandered a two-set lead in its dual, losing, 3-2, against Topeka Hayden (20-25, 26-28, 25-20, 25-13, 15-13).

Perhaps the Firebirds felt like they already had won after two dominating sets.

“We did kind of,” senior Melissa Burch said. “And then we were like, ‘Oh wait, a few more games.'”

As a result, Free State’s energy and enthusiasm appeared to plummet, and Hayden took advantage.

“We came out knowing that we’d have to work really hard to beat them,” senior middle blocker Taylor Manning said. “I think because we’d won the first two (sets), we kind of let down and we didn’t have the same intensity that we had before.”

Manning and Burch led the charge early, with Manning recording six kills in set one and Burch five.

In set two, the Firebirds wasted four set points before senior Sydney Vogel set up Manning with a perfect pass, which Manning spiked for a two-set lead.

After Free State’s Danielle Augustine slammed a kill to tie set three at 16, things began to unravel in a fashion all too familiar to Firebirds coach Nancy Hopkins.

“We’ve kind of had a problem with letting down all season after we get ahead,” Hopkins said. “Even in any particular game, we can let down and let them catch up. We seem to play harder when we’re coming from behind.”

Hayden won nine of 13 points to close out the third set and nearly doubled Free State’s tally in set four.

FSHS still had one more shot at snatching a win.

Burch’s final kill in set five pushed the Firebirds two points from victory with a 13-11 lead. But Free State’s Chantay Caron had one spike blocked and then one kill negated by a net touch to tie the score. Manning’s spike then fell into the net, and Burch’s last attempt was blocked by Hayden’s Maura x for the decisive blow.

Less than two weeks ago, Hayden handled Free State swiftly, 25-12, 25-18, at a tournament in Topeka. The Firebirds performed considerably better on Tuesday, but they couldn’t swipe a third set from the Wildcats, who entered the match 25-5 this season, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A.

“It’s really good competition,” Hopkins said. “In the long run, it’s not really going to matter. It’s not a league game. And if you’re going to play, I’d rather play tough competition.”

Free State (16-8) still holds an 8-1 record in Sunflower League play, good for first place overall. The Firebirds can clinch the conference crown with two league victories at Free State’s quadrangular on Thursday.