NICEVILLE — The Niceville volleyball team’s unbeaten run is over, and so is the Eagles’ charmed season.

Just one step from a trip to the Class 5A state final four in Lakeland, Tallahassee Leon dumped Niceville’s perfect season in the regional finals on Saturday, winning 25-15, 25-23, 25-16 to grab the bid to the state semifinals.

Leon (24-5) once again proved an impassable roadblock for Niceville (28-1), which had its season ended by the Lions for the fourth straight season.

More than that, it spiked a season where the Eagles seemingly couldn’t lose all year until the visiting Lions unceremoniously sent them home.

“They are a very good team,” Niceville coach Kris Hagberg said. “We fought hard and for that I’m thankful because they worked hard and they gave it everything they have. Today it just wasn’t enough.”

Much of that had to do with the Lions’ powerful blocking line, which consistently rebuffed Niceville’s kill attempts, a mainstay of the Eagles’ offensive repertoire. The Eagles were led by Delaney Bell’s nine kills but had nobody in double digits, while Leon centerpiece Alex Johnson had 14 to go with 13 digs.

“Their blockers stopped everything we hit at them,” said Niceville’s Jenna Hassell, who had a team-high 19 digs.

Jaclyn Mailoto had 23 assists and nine digs, Lindsey Schoewe had six kills and Carissa Hagberg had six digs for Niceville. For the Lions, Waverly Chin had 14 digs and nine kills, Caldwell Nystrom chipped in 21 digs and Molly Pearce had 36 assists.

“This team is like a family,” Leon coach Joy Becker said. “A lot of them grew up together, a lot of them went to preschool together. The tougher it gets the closer they get on the court, which is a coach’s dream.”

Leon led for the entire first set and finally put Niceville away with a well-placed 7-2 run and 1-0 set lead. The second set seemed like Niceville’s for the taking for most of the frame, but the Lions swooped in with the set tied at 23 to take their first lead in 34 points on an errant Niceville kill. Johnson put away a kill on the next play to give Leon a towering 2-0 set advantage and a massive momentum boost.

“We had the win (in the second set) and we gave it back to them,” Hassell said. “Volleyball is definitely a game of momentum and they took it back.”

Leon left no room for a comeback in the third set and put away the final five points, the last of which ended on a Niceville dig attempt that fluttered harmlessly into the net to send Leon to Lakeland and Niceville into the offseason.

Niceville has trailed on a rare few occasions this season and eventually came back to win, but there would be no comeback on Saturday.

“Obviously I wish we would have won this game and gone to Lakeland,” Hassell said. “But I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished this year. I wish it would have turned out better but I think we can hold our heads up high.”

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