Dixie State broke through into the win column with a thrilling five-set victory over Stanislaus State Thursday afternoon at the West Region Volleyball Showcase at Central Washington's Nicholson Pavilion.

The Trailblazers (1-4) trailed just once in the opening set at 1-0, but used an 11-4 run to take a six-point lead at 11-5. DSU extended that lead to 23-13, but the Warriors (0-5) scored seven-straight points as part of an 8-1 spurt to pull to within 24-21 on serve. However Stanislaus put the ensuing serve into the net which gave DSU the set win, 25-21.

Stanislaus State knotted the match at 1-1 after a 25-23 triumph in set two, but Dixie State rebounded to take a commanding 2-1 lead with a 25-19 win in the third frame. DSU turned a 16-15 lead into a commanding 23-17 advantage thanks in part to a pair of kills from junior Hannah Doonan (San Dimas, Calif./San Dimas HS) and a kill and service ace from freshman Sydney Johnson (Spokane, Wash./Central Valley HS).

DSU looked as if it may close the match in four sets after the Trailblazers took a 13-10 lead midway through the fourth stanza, but the Warriors managed to extend the match on the strength of a 15-5 run (25-18) to force a fifth and deciding game. The Trailblazers never trailed in the fifth set as they scored the first three points of the frame and would push that lead to as many as six points before closing out the match with a 15-11 win.

Johnson finished with a career-best 13 kills and nine digs to pace DSU, while Doonan collected career highs of 24 digs and 10 kills, including the game-winning point, to record Dixie State's first double-double of the year. Sophomore Lauren Gammell (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) chipped in nine kills, and senior Brette Barney (Prescott, Ariz./Prescott HS) and junior Kayla Chapman (Fullerton, Calif./Troy HS) added eight kills apiece as part of a balanced DSU attack.

DSU finished with season-highs of 57 kills and a .250 hitting percentage, while the Trailblazer defense limited the Warriors to a .168 percentage and collected 12 total blocks, including six total blocks for Gammell and five blocks apiece for Chapman and junior Shannon Sorensen (Smithfield, Utah/Sky View HS).

Dixie State continues play at the West Region Showcase Friday with two more matches, starting with a date with host Central Washington at 3 p.m. (PT), before wrapping up the day vs. UC San Diego at 8 p.m. (PT).