The Packer volleyball team survived with a win on a night where both teams scored the same amount of points in a five game battle at Mankato West Monday.

Austin (4-4 overall, 1-1 Big Nine) came out on top, beating Mankato West (3-5-1 overall) by scores of 22-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-19, 15-13.

“Everything that happened to us, happened to them,” Austin head coach Darica Schneider said. “It was a complete game of momentum on both sides and it was kind of the luck of the draw. Whoever had momentum at the end would win it.”

The Packers had momentum in the fifth game, only after erasing a 10-5 deficit. Jolene Brody served four straight points to put the Packers up 13-12, and after West tied it at 13, Nichelle Grage served the last two points to seal the win.

“They got a little comfortable with a five point lead in a game to 15,” Schneider said. “We started clawing and we got back in the game.”

The key to Austin’s win was it’s defense — Emma Arboe racked up 39 digs, and Jolene Brody had 47 digs, while getting 16 kills and going 23-for-24 on saves with an ace.

“We had a lot of digging tonight,” Schneider said. “There weren’t too many getting to the ground. But that hurt our attacks because we just had to push it out and it affected our hitting.”

Schneider said West got most of its points by attacking Grage, who had 23 assists, six blocks and three aces on 17-for-18 serving, and Ellen Ettinger, who had 13 assists and was 12-for-12 serving. The Scarlets avoided Austin’s middle hitter Rebekah Aase, who had 13 kills and 13 ace blocks on the night.

The Packers will travel to Faribault Thursday night.