CANTON - Here's a sign of what's to come in Area 1AAAAA volleyball competition.

Area powers Pope and Walton were evenly matched in all phases of the game Saturday in the finals of the season-opening Sequoyah Classic Invitational.

One team had to win, though, and it was the Lady Greyhounds who were sharper down the stretch, using a seven-point service run by libero Danielle Thompson late in the third game to seize control of the match and win 22-25, 25-21, 25-13.

The deciding game could have gone either way between the 1AAAAA foes until Thompson served with the Lady Greyhounds leading, 14-12. The run started with Sarah Morris and Katie Bange blocking a Walton kill attempt before Morris and Mary Hannah Arrington followed suit on the next point for a 16-12 lead.

Arrington then took advantage of two costly Walton errors with back-to-back kills to open up a comfortable 20-12 lead. The Lady Raiders only managed one point afterwards as a combination of Walton mishaps and Pope's stellar offensive play helped the Lady Greyhounds seal the win.

"We talk about the mental game," Pope coach Bryan Jones said. "What we did when we saw an error was try to push harder because there was an error."

Arrington led Pope with 11 kills and added six digs. Mary Hoey finished with eight kills and nine digs, while Morris contributed with four solo blocks and Bange three. Thompson led with 18 digs.

Kelly Murphy posted 20 kills to lead Walton while adding three solo blocks and three digs. Katherine Plessy contributed with nine kills and six digs, Morgan Smith came through with 16 digs and Anouska Best finished with three blocks and three block assists.

"I was proud of the girls. They did what they set out to do, and that was to improve" Walton coach Suzanne Fitzgerald said. "We allowed ourselves to grow and develop, and Pope exposed some weaknesses that we will be taking home with us. But I'm so proud of our team."

The majority of the first game was a mirror image of the third until Walton came through with a late service run. Before Hannah Rooks won six straight points on serve to open a 22-18 lead, the Lady Raiders were unsuccessful in their previous nine service attempts.

Walton managed to hold on in Game 1, despite a brief Pope comeback.

"I definitely have to give Walton their due," Jones said. "They were outstanding. They controlled that first game and served smart against us. I'm glad our girls kept their composure in that second game."

Pope could have easily lost it after Walton used momentum from the first game to open an 11-6 lead. The Lady Greyhounds used small runs to keep themselves in the game before tying it at 15-all on a Hoey kill. Bange's solo block gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

Walton did tie it at 20-all, but the Lady Greyhounds won the next three points to pull away.