The Olentangy Orange girls volleyball team was down for much of the night. But, it overcame deficits to take a 25-23, 17-25, 25-21, 25-22 non-league victory over visiting Big Walnut Tuesday night in Lewis Center.

The Pioneers scored eight of the final nine points to rally back from a five-point deficit to take the first set and came back from a six-point deficit in the third.

“All teams are going to deal with adversity,” Orange coach Katie Duy said. “This was a great test early on for us … Big Walnut’s a great team. So, I’m glad we went through that because I think that, obviously, we responded well. I think that if we don’t have that test early on and we get later on in the season – that may not be the outcome.”

Taylor Metzler and London Davis each had a couple of key kills down the stretch in the final set as the Pioneers (1-1) scored six of eight points to take control. Davis’ second kill capped the victory.

“We never really give up in any game,” Metzler said. “We just know how to come back and fight and never give up.”

Orange was without its standout setter Carrigan O’Reilly, who has a bone chip in her knee as a result of a weight room mishap. Duy said she hopes O’Reilly is back by next week, but wasn’t sure.

Freshman Hanna Borer has stepped in at the setter position in the Pioneers’ first two games.

“She’s extremely coachable and she’s doing everything we ask of her,” Duy said. “I told her that she’s going to go through some highs and lows. The good news is that this group has her back.”

BW, playing its first game since last year’s Division II state final appearance, got solid performances by Mac Podraza with 15 kills, Kaley Rammelsberg with nine and Sammie Bickley with four aces.

The Eagles (0-1) scored eight of 10 points to take a 16-8 lead midway through the second set on its way to a pretty decisive victory.

“I’m pleased with where we are, but we have a lot of things that need to get better,” BW coach Ron Lehman said. “I though we had a lack of aggression on defense. When we passed the ball – we looked really, really good and our transition was really solid.”

Both teams are back at Thursday at 7 p.m. in non-league action. BW hosts Westerville Central while Orange visits Hilliard Davidson.