Kennedy fought off three match points Tuesday night and defeated Jefferson, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16, 15-25, 18-16 in a Mississippi Valley Conference slugfest at the Jefferson gym.

The J-Hawks led 14-13, 15-14 and 16-15 in the fifth set and needed just one more point to claim the match, but the Cougars had an answer each time.

Kennedy tied the fifth game, 16-16, on a kill shot by 6-foot-2 sophomore Brinley Milbrath. The Cougars took a 17-16 lead on a soft dink by senior Erin Coker and won the match on a kill by Coker.

Milbrath finished with 13 kills in the match. Jadyn Gilson had 11 kills, Coker 10 and Anna Fluent seven. Madi Meier collected 20 digs for Kennedy and Fluent finished with 35 assists. Milbrath was credited with nine blocks.

Amanda Ollinger, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, led Jefferson with 38 kills. Kaylie Zietek had 51 assists. Kayla Jaschen finished with 19 digs and Keanna Pledge had 18 digs.