ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Beating the same team three times in a season is something that doesn’t happen all that often. It did Wednesday night.

Top-seeded Union Local (20-5) punched its ticket to the Ohio Division V East 2 District Championship game on Saturday afternoon with a 59-50 decision over No. 5 Martins Ferry (17-6) in a semifinal matchup inside the ECO Center. It marked the third time this season the Jets have defeated the Purple Riders.

“What can you say? With all the adversity we’ve been through this season, these girls played their hearts out tonight. They didn’t want to lose,” veteran Union Local head coach Lou “Scooter” Tolzda said. “We get to play for the district championship and I don’t think, after we lost Ameera (Saunders), anybody thought that was possible.

“Here we go. We’re going to Cambridge,” Tolzda added. “We get to practice again tomorrow.”

Union Local will meet No. 4 West Muskingum on Saturday at 1 at Cambridge High School with a berth in the regional tournament on the line. The Tornadoes defeated No. 8 Navarre Fairless, 48-23, also on Wednesday.

“There always seems to be that one team that gives you trouble, and it’s them,” veteran Martins Ferry head coach Dave Reasbeck said of the Jets. “I hope they respect us because we respect the heck out of them. I wanted to play them, but they just beat us. I’ve got a big ego, but I have to swallow my pride and tip my hat to them.

“That’s three times they beat us this year. They are the better program right now and I wish them all the luck in the world,” he added. “I can’t fault my girls. They gave me everything they had, but this was a two-year plan for us and next year is year two. We’re going to be back, but right now we’re going to root for Union Local.”

The contest was knotted at 12 after one quarter, but senior Laken Vinskovich gave Union Local the lead, 18-17 with a conventional three-point play. With all five starters each scoring at least three points, the Jets extended the margin to 30-23 at the half.

Leading 34-29 near the midway point of the third quarter, Vinskovich sparked an 8-2 run that built the lead to 42-31 and they held a 44-35 cushion with a quarter to play.

The Purple Riders netted the first eight points of the final panel to pull to within one, 44-43, but Myah Martin buried a trey from the right wing that jump-started a game-ending 15-7 run.

Ten of those points came from the foul line where the Jets went 14-for-17, including 10-of-12 down the stretch. Martin led the way with a 5-for-6 performance.

Union Local’s starters played nearly the entire game. Vinskovich, Martin and fellow seniors Alli Kellaway and Delaney Butler are now 84-19 in their sparkling careers.

“These girls have played in a lot of big games their entire careers in both volleyball and basketball,” Tolzda said. “That means something. One hundred percent it does.”

Vinskovich led four double figure scorers with 14. Martin added 13, while Butler and sophomore Ellie Greenwood evenly split two dozen. Kellaway finished with eight.

Giana Chirpas paced Martins Ferry with a game-best 19. Freshman Kassiah Fleming had a career-high 13.

“She was tremendous,” Reasbeck said of Fleming.

Vinskovich had seven of the Jets 21 rebounds, while Kellaway grabbed half-a-dozen. Chirpas pulled down six of Martins Ferry’s 22. SJ Koller added five.

Union Local charted 20 turnovers, which was three more than Martins Ferry.

The Jets face West Muskingum.

“We scrimmaged them earlier this season and they are very, very good,” Tolzda said of the Tornadoes. “They took it to us pretty good, so, hopefully, we can play well.”