Chandler's Braxton Bradbeer delivers a 1st set kill in win over Highland.(AzPreps365 photo)

It's not often a team fights off five match points in a fourth set to earn a fifth, falls behind 5-0 in the fifth and still ends up winning. Chandler's boys volleyball team can say they've done that.

In a wacky marathon contest, Chandler managed its second five-set road triumph of the season with a 22-25, 25-15, 22-25, 31-29, 15-10 victory over Highland in a 6A non-region match at Highland.

Chandler (19-2, 6-0 power-ranking matches) relied heavily on senior opposite Jonny Bowles, who recorded a match-high 25 kills plus another 15 kills from junior hitter Braxton Bradbeer, arguably the match's top performer overall. HIghland (12-8, 4-2 in prm) power-ranking losses are to last year's 6A finalists - Chandler and Boulder Creek.

 Chandler overcame the fifth-set, 5-0 deficit with a 10-2 run in the and finished it with the help of an almost forgotten weapon most of the match in senior middle blocker Mason Mullins. Mullins recorded three of his five kills in the final four points, including match point.

The fifth set capped the weirdness as Chandler lost the momentum from its emotional fourth-set triumph in a matter of a minute or two. The Wolves hardly made Highland work for its 5-0 lead with a service error, attack error, double-hit, passing error and lift accounting for the Hawks' advantage.

"This was a war, " Chandler coach Bobby Robson said. "It was competitively weird."

The first three sets were somewhat normal, although Chandler saw the first slip away with poor execution in the final points. The Wolves won the second handily and had things going their way much of the third only to lose to a solid, late surge by Highland. Dean Millett, Tala Pagua and Dallan Clarke were the attack catalysts in the set for the Hawks.

The fourth set was something to behold. HIghland raced to a 6-1 lead, found itself tied at 14 and trailed 19-14 with a fifth set looking likely. But Highland pieced together a 10-4 run and had the aforementioned five chances to win the set and match. HIghland survved one set point at 25-24, but the next one the Hawks weren't as fortunate.  An ace by Chandler libero James Despars gave Chandler a 30-29 lead and Highland hitting error bought fans a fifth set.

While Chandler's attack revolved around two players, Highland got its offense from multiple sources. 

One of those entered off the bench in the third set, junior hitter Pauga. Pauga finished with 10 kills in three sets. Millett led Highland with 12 kiills and Clarke chipped in seven. Highland couldn't find the floor enough in the decisive set, registering just two kills.

"He (Pauga) brought us some fire," Highland coach Jeff Grover said. "We had some good swings and pushed this to the end. I'm proud of our guys."