Union’s girls split wins with Wallace-Rose Hill Tuesday night, with the JV getting the sweep at home and the varsity, despite a strong showing, falling in a five-set match.

The junior varsity won 25-20 and 25-11, but coach Dana Strickland said the first game was far too close for her liking.

“I didn’t think they were playing the kind of volleyball I know they are capable of playing,” she said, “so I had a little heart to heart with them, and they came back that second game and played like the team I’m used to seeing.”

The varsity Spartans, on the other hand, refused to let the Bulldog ladies get the best of them, fighting it out until the end, but Wallace proved stronger, getting the win in 5 — 25-20; 21-25; 21-25; 25-15; 10-15.

“I’ll have to say it’s the very best I’ve seen them play as far as a conference game goes,” Strickland said of the varsity. “But we are still struggling with our serve-receive and our passing. Without that passing, you can’t get good hits and you can’t win sets.”

But from a “heart point of view,” Strickland said the Union girls played with great intensity. “They never gave up; they fought with all their heart, and that’s a good thing.”

Union hosts Trask Thursday. Game time is 4:30 p.m.