Sierra won just its second postseason match on Tuesday and did so in comeback fashion, stunning 10th-seeded Buhach Colony 24-26, 16-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-7 in the first round of Sac-Joaquin Section Division III action.

One of just three seniors on the team, outside hitter Sophia Threet overcame a slow start and led the No. 7 Timberwolves (19-12) with 12 kills, 15 service points, two aces and five digs. She is a holdover of the last Sierra team to win a playoff match two years ago.

“It’s so cool to be a part of it,” Threet said. “Both years, I got to play with my sisters. My sophomore year, I played with my older sister (Elaina), and this year I’m playing with my younger sister (Hannah). It’s just so exciting to be able to share these moments with them.”

Freshman Delicia Kivalu-Ahio contributed 11 kills, 11 service points with no errors, two aces and five digs. Hannah Threet pitched in nine kills and two solo blocks.

Cianna Leonardo racked up 19 assists, 10 digs, 15 service points and two aces. Gurjaap Kaur collected 10 assists, three kills and four blocks. Libero Ellis Denny led the defense with 14 digs.

Buhach Colony (15-12) was spearheaded by junior outside hitters Madelyn Zamarripa (23 kills, four aces) and Taylor Martin (21 kills, five aces) and setter Addison Hill (five aces).

Sierra struggled at the outset on serve receive, as the Thunder from Atwater scored five of its first seven points on aces. Aggressive serving nearly cost Buhach the opening set, however, as it committed five service errors to keep the T’wolves in it.

Sierra nearly stole the first game with a 24-22 lead, but the Thunder took the final four points with Zamarripa accounting for three of them on two kills and block.

Game 2 got away from Sierra in a hurry after Kivalu-Ahio landed the first blow with a kill for the Timberwolves. Buhach Colony countered by scoring the next 13.

“The first two sets, the passing just was not there,” Sierra coach Danielle Deerinck said. “It’s something we work on all the time, but I think there were a little bit of nerves that went into it.

“I just told them we had to settle down and play our game; make sure we’re getting the ball to our hitters. Let’s give ourselves the opportunity to score, and that was the big difference between the first two (sets) and the last three — we were getting the ball to our hitters.”

Threet and Kivalu-Ahio jump started the Timberwolves’ comeback, combining for three kills as they stormed out to a 5-0 lead. The margin swelled to 14 after Kivalu-Ahio’s ace. A late eight-point flurry from Buhach Colony made things interesting, but the surge was halted by a double-touch violation.

“I mixed up quite a few things,” Deerinck said. “I even had one of my JV players that I pulled up for the playoffs. She went in and played back row for us. Delicia doesn’t normally serve, and she did a great job. Being down 0-2, we just had to try something different, and it worked.”

Sierra also drew inspiration from its raucous Wolf Pack cheering section, which grew louder the longer the match went. The lead changed hands just twice in the fourth set, and the Timberwolves had their largest margin at 24-19.

The fifth set was all Sierra.

“It was really helpful with our momentum and everything, getting us in the right mentality,” Sophia Threet said of the crowd support.” When you have that momentum, it’s just easier to keep going, and that’s what we were able to do with our Wolf Pack.”

Leonardo started game 5 on a four-point service run that was capped by an ace. Hannah Threet hammered two late kills, and Kivalu-Ahio added another to give Sierra a comfortable 13-6 cushion.

The match ended with Buhach Colony committing its 13th service error. Remarkably, Sierra had just three.

“They all stepped up,” Deerinck said. “I felt like they had great energy the whole time, even though we were down two (sets).”

Sierra travels to Folsom on Thursday to face second-seeded Vista del Lago (18-9).

Division II

El Capitan 3, Manteca 0

The 12th-seeded Buffaloes (14-13) had their season end on a 15-25, 19-25, 17-25 sweep.

Third-year libero Nicole Ayala amassed 20 digs and 11 service points. Taimane Tu’uga had six kills, six digs and two blocks. Trinity Todd tallied five kills and five blocks.

Fifth-seeded El Capitan (28-9) next takes on No. 4 Del Oro (14-13) in Loomis.

Division IV

Ripon 3, Woodland 0

Top-seeded Ripon (27-2) made quick work of the No. 16 Wolves (15-12), 25-8, 25-12, 25-8. The Indians host No. 8 Union Mine (19-6) on Thursday.