Tuesday night's three-way match between Warsaw, Churubusco and Northfield may have been more a battle of attrition than a battle on the court.

In the first match of the evening, Warsaw took on Churubusco. The Tigers clipped the Eagles' wings in three quick games 25-4, 25-10, 25-9.

The first game saw Warsaw jump out to a 12-2 lead before surrendering another point. The Tigers then outscored Churubusco 13-1.

Unlike the first game, the Eagles were able to score some points by taking advantage of mental errors by Warsaw and using deception rather than power.

Lacking any big hitters, the Eagles were forced to use their setter for point production. Along with some unforced errors by Warsaw, the Eagles were able to draw as close as 17-10 before the Tigers pulled away.

Warsaw came out more intense in the third game, jumping out to a 9-0 lead to start the final game. Warsaw never looked back after its initial run to take the match.

After more than an hour between matches, while Northfield and Churubusco faced off, the Tigers took on Northfield. The Norse beat Churubusco 25-21, 25-12, 25-13 and looked to upset the Tigers in the first game. Northfield nipped on the Tigers' heels all game, but rally killing points by Julie Seiss and Kara Mayer propelled Warsaw to the opening game win, 25-19. Northfield drew as close as 22-19 late.

Northfield jumped out to an early 3-0 lead to start the second game. Warsaw gained its first lead at 8-7 and never trailed again. The Norse closed the gap to 20-18 before the Tigers rallied off four straight points on the way to another 25-19 win.

Before the third game, Northfield head coach Eric Augustus made an impassioned plea to his players to "give me everything you got."

And for most of the game, the Norse did just that.

Northfield jumped out to a 14-3 lead and looked to push the match to at least four games.

The Tigers, however, gave Warsaw head coach Mike West everything they could as well.

Warsaw rallied off four points to draw within four at 16-12.

With momentum swinging Warsaw's way, the Tigers then scored five straight points to tie things up at 20-20 before outlasting a scrappy Northfield team 25-23.

For coach West, the third game showed him a lot about this year's squad.

"The neatest thing about the third game was the way we came back, of course, but when you experience that as a team, that ability to come back in a rally score style of play, it's very important. We've got to be able to do those kind of things to win big matches."

The evening's first match began at 6 p.m. and the last point wasn't recorded until after 10 p.m. The battle of mental and physical fatigue took its toll in the third game, according to coach West.

"I think fatigue was a factor for both teams in that third game. But we were able to come away with the win. Had we gone to a fourth game, it would have gotten pretty sloppy just because it's so late at night, but at any rate, I'm just glad to come out with two wins like we did."

Warsaw opens up NLC play on the road Thursday against preseason top 10 Elkhart Memorial.

WARSAW DEF. CHURBUSCO 25-4, 25-10, 25-9

NORTHFIELD DEF. CHURUBUSCO 25-21, 25-12, 25-13

WARSAW DEF. NORTHFIELD 25-19, 25-19, 25-23

Warsaw kills - Julie Seiss 16, Kara Mayer 13, Tasia Smith 11, Cynthia Park 8, Rebekah Reichard 6, Kim Clay 6

Warsaw assists - Danielle DeGeeter 42, Cheyenne Runnells 11, Reichard 2, Clay 1, Mayer 1

Warsaw blocks - Park 7, Seiss 6, Smith 5, Conley 3, DeGeeter 3, Clay 3, Reichard 3

Warsaw digs - Seiss 35, Runnells 14, DeGeeter 14, Park 13, Mayer 11, Smith 10

Warsaw service points - Mayer 18, DeGeeter 16, Seiss 14, Park 12, Scrafton 10

JV - Warsaw def. Churubusco 25-8, 25-15

JV - Northfield def. Warsaw 25-18, 25-20

Warsaw JV kills - Jill Kreinbrink 7, Kate Denlinger 5, Kacie Conley 3

Warsaw JV assists - Kate Miller 13

Warsaw JV digs - Selina Long 13, Kreinbrink 6, Conley 4, Amanda Engel 4

Warsaw JV blocks -ÊDenlinger 2, Kreinbrinnk 2, Engel 2, Jessica Sands 1

Warsaw JV aces - Denlinger 8, Valerie Leek 6, Conley 2, Johanna Habeggar 2 [[In-content Ad]]