Billings Central's three-game win over Miles City at the Eastern A divisional volleyball tournament Friday night gave the Rams an automatic berth to the state tournament.

But it didn't come as easy as the sweep indicates.

Central survived 21 ties and 11 lead changes combined in the first two games, then cruised in the deciding frame for a 26-24, 25-21, 25-11 triumph in the undefeated semifinal match at the Nelles Center.

The Rams trailed by three points on two occasions in the first game and were down by as many as four in the second.

They came out on top both times.

"We don't get down," said outside hitter Kelsie Ray, sporting her trademark pink headband. "We've experienced moments in the past where we've gotten down and we've given up. We don't like that feeling. Now we have that confidence to build each other up, stay together as a team and finish it out."

Miles City led throughout the first game until a service ace from Jessie Robinson gave Central a 20-19 lead. From there the teams forged five ties, the last at 24-24 when the Rams pulled even on a big kill from hitter Catie Hanser.

Central took the opening game on the next two points as the Cowgirls committed two errors.

The second game had the same feel, with Miles City taking control early. Kalli Durham had a block and a kill on consecutive volleys, followed by a Central error and an ace from Rae Mader as the Cowgirls grabbed a 16-12 lead.

But the Rams took a one-point lead later on a kill from Marissa Stanton, then won it on a Ray kill.

The match was another chapter in the rivalry between the two teams. Miles City won the Eastern A tournament a year ago, beating the Rams in the championship round.

It was Central's third win over the Cowgirls this season, all of which have produced a few down-to-the wire scenarios.

"If I had an answer for it this wouldn't keep happening to us," Miles City coach Ellen Jebens said. "We seem to get to 20 and then we trade points. The way the season's gone they always seem to come out on top.

"They have that winning mentality, that confidence. They keep hammering away at you, and sometimes maybe we don't."

Fourth-year Central coach Liz Hanser echoed those sentiments.

"Every year since I've been here we've been going back and forth," she said. "That's a tough team. And when you beat a tough team like that it shows a lot.

"We had some good blocks and we had some good hits. That's what did it. Our hitting prevailed."

Ray had a great all-around match, accumulating nine kills, 16 digs and a pair of aces. Hanser led the Rams with 10 kills while Stanton added seven.

Setter Katie Cummins had 29 assists and libero Trenna Thelen had a team-high 18 digs.

The Rams played without middle hitter Lindsay Sebastian, who suffered a knee injury last week in a regular-season match against Miles City. Hanser gave kudos to middles Kalli Sizemore and Katelynn Lynch, who both played well in Sebastian's stead.

Durham's 10 kills led Miles City. She also had 19 digs.

Outside hitter Jessica Cremer, who left the game with an apparent knee injury early in the second game but returned later, had 10 digs for the Cowgirls. Anna Magnuson added eight kills.

The Rams advanced to tonight's championship round. Miles City will play the winner of a loser-out match between Hardin and Sidney. Whichever team emerges from that match will qualify for the state tournament but must beat Central twice to win the divisional championship.

The Rams will be gunning for their second tournament title in four years.

Billings Central def. Miles City 26-24, 25-21, 25-11

Central - Kills: 40 (Catie Hanser 10). Blocks: 6 (Kalli Sizemore 3). Aces: 4 (Kelsie Ray 2). Digs; 72 (Trenna Thelen 18). Assists: 37 (Katie Cummins 29).

Miles City - Kills: 27 (Kalli Durham 10). Blocks: 3 (three with 1). Aces: 5 (Rae Mader 2, Kaylee Swope 2). Digs: 66 (Durham 19). Assists: 24 (Theresa Nalewaja 12).