After a tough stretch of five straight losses, the Wolfpack capped the week with two straight wins, knocking off rival Hastings two games in a row.

Park defeated Hastings 2-1 in the final game of the Aerie Challenge on Saturday, then swept the Raiders in as close as the come match at Hastings 3-0 on Monday, winning 27-25, 25-23 and 26-23.

With the two wins the Wolfpack moves to 3-5 on the season.

St. Paul Central 3, Park 2

Park was rolling through two games, winning 25-18 and 25-21and having a blast. But then the match and the momentum suddenly shifted and visiting St. Paul Central caught fire and never lost it, winning the next three games 25-14, 25-17 and then 15-12 to claim a fifth set thriller.

It was a disappointing finish for the Wolfpack but a learning experience which likely will pay dividends down the road.

The fifth set was a nail bitter with the two teams were tied at 8-all and 9-all before St. Paul Central gained a 12-9 edge. Park closed to 13-12 and 14-13 but just fell short in rallying for the win.

It was the second straight season the two teams have battled through a hard-fought five-set match.

Last year we did leave victorious in those five sets, this year not so much but that’s okay,” said Park co-head coach Robert Lozinski-McLean. “In the third game it’s we tried to explain to the girls that when we have the energy and the communication, we already know we have the skill. But when we put together some other key important factors we’re a very good team and a competitive team and I think in set three that fell apart a little bit.

“We set back on our heels,” Lozinski-McLean continued. “I think because we won the first two sets, we thought maybe this would be a walk in the park and kudos to Central, they came back and fought every second of set three and four and five they became victorious. It was hard for us to adjust.

“I thought in sets one and two it was fire,” added the Park coach. “Then saying no to losing a point and getting three more right after it. Paige (Hanson), one of our outside hitters, also serves in the back row. She did a 9-0 run at the end of set two and took that set so again she held the team on her back and there were some really good things that we did. I think we’ve got to keep cleaning things up and then we’ll be on fire.”

Rosemount 3, Park 0

Host Rosemount swept the visiting Wolfpack 3-0, Tuesday, Sept. 8, winning 25-7, 25-12 and 25-16.

Aerie Challenge

In Friday and Saturday’s Aerie Challenge at Apple Valley, Park dropped 2-0 decisions to Faribault (25-11, 25-12) and Providence Academy (25-9, 25-12) on Friday, then played Spring Grove and Hastings on Saturday.

Spring Grove took a tight 25-23, 25-16 decision from the Wolfpack in Saturday’s first game. Park then ended a losing skid with a three-set victory over Hastings, winning 22-25, 25-19 and 15-10.

Park (3-5) plays at undefeated and conference leader Cretin-Derham Hall (10-0) Thursday, then hosts White Bear Lake (3-0) Tuesday with a 7 p.m. start.