WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The second-round VPA Division I girls volleyball playoff clash between Hartford and St. Johnsbury came to an abrupt conclusion when a Hilltopper’s serve didn’t clear the net.

There was no extended rally, no punctuating kill or emphatic game-winning block to call an end to Wednesday’s five-set thriller. Instead, a service error saw Hartford claim the all-important 15th point in the fifth-set tiebreak, securing a 3-2 victory for the No. 3-seeded Hurricanes and the program’s first postseason victory in its short two-year varsity history.

Pandemonium ensued from the Hurricanes’ sideline in celebration of the win. The eruption from the Hartford faithful, who had lived and died with each passing point in the final set, was just as loud.

The Hurricanes had earned the No. 6 overall seed in their first season before falling at home in an upset loss to Burlington in 2023. Junior outside hitter Isabella Trombley said she felt the pressure to ensure there wasn’t a repeat of last season’s early exit, especially in front of such a large crowd.

Hartford, simply, would not be denied a quarterfinal berth this time.

“It was really intense,” junior opposite hitter Charlotte Winn said of the match. “This is history for us. This is only our second year as a varsity sport, and this is really momentous. It pushes us to be greater and be better in the future as well.”

The match didn’t seem destined to go the distance early, though.

After staving off St. Johnsbury in the opening two sets by scores of 25-23 and 25-22, respectively, Hartford seemed destined for a three-set sweep. That reality seemed even closer when the Hurricanes sprung out to a 17-9 lead in the third set.

But the Hilltoppers mounted a comeback, rattling off 11 consecutive points to take a 20-17 lead. An ace from Winn and kills from Trombley and senior Felicity Adams saw Hartford level the score at 20 apiece.

The two teams exchanged several points before St. Johnsbury ultimately claimed the third set, 25-23, its players seemingly amazed they had completed the rally. The Hilltoppers’ 25-20 fourth-set victory forced a fifth-set tiebreak.

“I think the third set has always been an issue for us,” Winn said. “I mean, this is a two-hour game; it takes a lot to sustain your energy. … It takes a lot to rally as a team as well, and it’s like pushing each other to be better. We were all a little frustrated, but then it’s just taking the time to look at each other and be like, ‘These are the girls that we’ve worked with for months.’ ”

Thirty seconds before the fifth-set tiebreak was set to commence, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” began to blare from the speakers in the Hurricanes’ gymnasium.

It was an apt song choice given the circumstances, arriving at a moment when momentum had totally swung in favor of the visiting Hilltoppers. The gaggle of St. Johnsbury players clapped and danced during the brief intermission, a stark contrast from Hartford’s players, who had gathered in a huddle.

Ahead of the fifth set, Hartford coach Megan Geiselhart said she wanted her players to “ground themselves” by placing their hand on their heart. It was an effort to settle their nerves in a pressure-packed situation.

Geiselhart said that once her players had settled down, she told them to “unleash that beast.”

“I feel like it centers me more and grounds me more,” Trombley said of feeling pressure late in the game. “If (the game is) dramatic, if we’ve got kids screaming at us, and if we have banter and chirps on the court, it’s so much more fun.”

The Hurricanes’ jayvee coach, Natascha Niffka, offered an even simpler assessment ahead of the fifth set.

“Without drama, what’s the point?” she quipped.

A 6-2 start from Hartford forced an early St. Johnsbury timeout, which was quickly followed by back-to-back Hurricane points to claim a six-point advantage. The Hilltoppers shrunk the deficit to 9-6 before three straight points from Hartford forced another timeout. A kill from Adams preceded the eventual St. Johnsbury service error, which secured the Hurricanes’ win and a bid to the quarterfinals.

Hartford will host 11th-seeded Colchester at 6 p.m. on Friday. It’s a quick 48-hour turnaround ahead of the rematch with the Lakers — the Hurricanes won the teams’ lone regular season meeting, 3-1, on Oct. 15.

For Hartford’s players, the quarterfinal clash is a chance to create more history. It’s also another opportunity to demonstrate the staying power of the program at the school.

“We want volleyball to be taken seriously,” Adams said. “It’s the second year of the sport (at Hartford), and we just try and put it all out there — let people know that this is not a joke.”

Alex Cervantes can be reached at acervantes@vnews.com or 603-727-7302.