STOW: It took the top-ranked Division II volleyball team in Ohio to end this so-called rebuilding season for Walsh Jesuit.

Salem (26-0), which finished first in the final state coaches poll, used the all-around talents of sisters Katie and Amy Scullion on Thursday night to edge the Warriors in five games in a Northeast Ohio Division II regional semifinal at Stow High School.

The scores in the marathon, 100-minute match were 25-15, 16-25, 22-25, 25-13 and 17-15.

The Warriors (17-10) seemingly had the momentum and led 13-10 in the decisive fifth game, only to see a senior-led Salem squad make most of the big plays down the stretch.

''It was hard to lose it that way. We wanted to pull it out,'' said sophomore outside hitter Allison Foschia, who had 17 kills. ''Their experience helped them at the end.''

Walsh came into this season having had seven seniors graduate, including two-time Beacon Journal player of the year Katie Dull, who had made major contributions on teams that were beaten in the Division II state final in both 2005 and 2006.

With only three seniors this season and sophomores and juniors playing key roles, the Warriors came within two points of reaching the regional final.

''Game five was anybody's game. It all came down to a couple of plays,'' Walsh coach Missy Christ said. ''This was a season we were supposed to be rebuilding. I am proud of what the girls have done.''

Walsh led 11-10 when Salem coach Don Conser — who has 547 victories in 30 years at the school — called a timeout. Walsh then scored the next two points to make it 13-10, but kills by both Scullion sisters helped make it 15-15, sending it into a pressure-packed overtime in which the team that took a two-point lead was the winner.

A block by Sarah Brobeck put the Quakers ahead 16-15 and a kill block by Katie Scullion ended it.

''I told them in the timeout to get a good pass, get a good set and let's attack,'' said Conser, whose team will meet Parma Padua at 2 p.m. Saturday in the regional final, with a berth in the state tournament at stake. ''This could be the best win I have ever had. They handled us with no trouble last year. But I knew we would be better than we were last year.''

Salem also was 25-0 last season when it met Walsh in the regional semifinal. But Dull, who is now at Ohio State, led the way to a three-game sweep.

This time, Salem had dominant forces of its own in the Scullion sisters, both 6-foot outside hitters. Katie Scullion, a senior, had 20 kills, seven blocks and 26 digs. Amy Scullion, a sophomore with Division I college potential, had 22 kills, 10 digs and two blocks.

''They are our two point-getters. I am glad they live in Salem,'' Conser said. ''They are all over the floor, making plays.''

Besides Foschia's 17 kills, senior middle hitter Katie Zawalski had 19 kills and 10 digs for Walsh. Senior middle hitter Annie Dorff, a University of Virginia recruit, added seven blocks, and senior setter Annie Djukic had 42 assists.

Walsh used the net play of Zawalski, Foschia and Dorff to win the second and third games. But Salem, facing elimination, dominated the fourth game and overcame the late deficit in the fifth game.