Regiopolis Notre Dame Panthers will compete at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations girls AAA volleyball tournament next month after they defeated L’Escale of Rockland 3-1 Wednesday for the eastern Ontario championship.

The match—L’Escale is a double-A school that moved up a classification to challenge for the triple-A title—was played at Regi.

L’Escale did something only two teams had managed to do in 14 Kingston Area league and playoff matches: take a set from the three-time champion Panthers.

After winninng the first two sets, 25-17, 25-13, Regi was beaten 23-25 by the visitors, before prevailing 25-20 in the decisive fourth set.

Tied 20-20 in that game, the Panthers won a long rally to forge ahead, and they didn’t surrender another point the rest of the way.

Norah Lloyd-Ellis—“one of the best volleyball players ever to play at Regi,” coach Pat Farrell wrote in an email—led Regi with 15 kills, while middle Tiegen Rook and righside Bridget Mulholland combined for 12 kills and 10 blocks.

Setter Annie Kennedy had 35 assists.

This year’s OFSAA championship will be contested March 9-11 in Ingersoll.