BY MIKE MONTFORT

TYLER -- Unbeaten Tyler staggered back to win the match's final five points and secured its biggest of three victories this season -- an extended, five-game war-of-wills over fourth-ranked Navarro.

Coach Brandi Hood's Apache Ladies survived Monday's 3-2 match that featured extreme swings of momentum. They quickly pounced on the Bulldogs with wins of 25-21 and 25-15 before Navarro battled its way off the deck with consecutive 25-23 wins.  Navarro's fifth-game advantage reached a 14-11 score, when TJC survived timeouts, tensions and match points to stun the 'Dawgs with five straight and claim a 16-14 decision. 

The loss snapped Navarro's four-match winning streak, and broke the program's streak of nine consecutive five-game match wins, dating back to an August 2018 loss to Hill on this same Wagstaff Gymnasium floor at The Rose City Classic. 

TJC, a 2019 Region XIV Tournament finalist against NC here one year ago, is one of four conference teams getting national volleyball poll attention.  The Apache Ladies, which hadn't played in 11 days, are receiving votes in the NJCAA's latest weekly edition issued Monday. TJC entered play with 3-1 league wins over Wharton and Coastal Bend. 

THe Bulldogs registered team season highs in kills (66), attacks (168), and assists (58) highlighted by three double-doubles and a standout performance by Alexis Ratliff, who hit .466 for the match and totaled seven blocks to go with her 16 kills.

Freshman Laurel Nalls posted her first double-double, with a career-high 55 assists and 15 digs.

Sophomore outside hitters Nataly Garcia and Johanna Alcantara also achieved double-doubles.  Garcia notched her fourth of the season with a 20-kill, 11-dig effort, while Alcantara racked up her second with a 20/18 performance.

NC's defense totaled 90 digs, two short of a season high.  Patricia Pantoja, with 35, paced the 'Dawgs. 

The Bulldogs journey to Athens on Thursday to play the Trinity Valley Cardinals in a 6 pm CST Region XIV match.