The tortoise didn't just beat the hare in a race. It did it in volleyball, too.

Effingham County (9-1, 0-0 in Region 2-AAAAAA) rallied to win three of four sets at South Effingham (4-8, 4-0 in 2-AAAAA) on Thursday, taking the tightly contested non-region match 27-25, 25-23, 19-25 and 25-22.

The Rebels, coming off their first loss at Calvary Day on Tuesday, fell behind 8-1 in the opening set. They pulled to within two points of the lead five times only to have the Mustangs push them back.

The breakthrough finally came with South Effingham leading 24-21. The Rebels scored four successive points, including a kill by Hailey Williams, to take their first lead. The Mustangs tallied the next point, however, forcing a 25-25 tie.

Effingham County responded by winning the next two points, including the decisive one on another kill by Williams.

The second set followed the same pattern as the Rebels fell behind 12-4 and didn't enjoy their first lead until making it 24-23, again on a Williams kill.

""That's how we like to do things. We like to come from behind," Effingham County coach Brittany Lein said. "I don't know what it is about my girls."

See the Aug. 30 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.