Andalusia’s Lady Bulldogs tightened their ponytails and got to work after falling early to eventually top Kinston, 3-2, in their volleyball season opener on Thursday night.

The hometown Lady Bulldogs won the match 19-25, 25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 in front of a raucous home crowd.

“I’m proud of the girls,” AHS head volleyball coach Angie Grimes said. “We’ve been working on a lot of things. They’re starting to come together.”

Grimes said she’s looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing what her girls can accomplish, especially after watching them come from behind early last night.

In the first set, AHS fell behind 1-6, but fought back to tie it at 8-8 on a Shelby Meeks kill. Errors plagued the girls late in the first set.

Andalusia led 18-17 late in the third set, hustled to get loose balls and put KHS on its heels by forcing a fourth game.

AHS lost a 6-2 lead in the fourth and couldn’t come back despite a late rally.

It went back and forth in game five, but the Lady Bulldogs sprinted ahead with a commanding 13-11 lead to end on a short run.

Tasia Wheeler and Emily Theus led AHS with four kills each. Stephanie Watts had five aces.

Andalusia is back in action on Tuesday at home against Opp and Pleasant Home in a junior high tri-match; and against Pleasant Home in junior varsity and varsity action.