LITTLE CYPRESS — Digging down deep at the end of each game, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears evened their District 24-4A volleyball mark with a tight 25-23, 25-23, 27-25 over the Bridge City Lady Cardinals Tuesday night at The Bear Cave.

It was a much needed win for the defending 24-4A champion Lady Bears, who improved to 2-2 on the young 24-4A season.

The Lady Cardinals, meanwhile, slipped to 2-1 and have played really well of late. The Lady Cardinals had a lead late in each game but could never quite put away the Lady Bears.

The Lady Cardinals saw Game Three literally get away from them as they held a 24-16 cushion. The Lady Bears ran off eight unanswered points to tie it up. The Lady Cardinals were a point away from sealing it again with a 25-24 lead but LC-M ran away with the last three points to seal the match.

The Lady Cardinals held a 23-22 edge in Game One, only to watch the Lady Bears crawl back into it. LC-M captured the game’s last three points again.

In Game Two, the Lady Cardinals led 22-21 but the Lady Bears rallied once more to score four of the final five points to take that game as well.

The LC-M win offset superb performances by Bridge City’s Madison Caraway and Olivia Bass.

Carraway was by far the kill leader for the night as she collected 15 smashes. Bass was a “serving machine” for the Lady Cards, serving up 14 points and eight aces.

The Lady Bears had a balanced night at the net.

Madison Taggert and Kalyn Avery paced the Lady Bears with seven kills apiece. Alexi Cox and McKenzie Hearn had five kills apiece while Jordyn West and Renna Toomey added three each.

Cox had nine points and an ace. Avery collected seven points and three aces. Toomey had seven points and an ace while Taggert added four points.

Kaitlin Thayer powered her way to 10 kills for the Lady Cardinals while Carlie Fults had six and Reyna Owens three.

Baili Thibodaux had five points and two aces while Fults, Triniti Willis, and Abby Faulk had five points each.

The Lady Cardinals will look to bounce back Friday when they host Silsbee. The Lady Bears have a bye Friday and will return to 24-4A play next Tuesday on the road at Silsbee.