Exact match needed in countifs() in semi-complicated formula

[cloaked1]

Hello,

First, the formula I'm currently using:
=countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AA:AA,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))+countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AB:AB,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))+countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AC:AC,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))+countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AD:AD,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))+countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AE:AE,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))+countifs('page1'!AF:AF,$L6,'page1'!AF:AF,"="&RIGHT(M$2,3))

Alright, now, what's being matched are values like:

I-A
II-A
III-A
etc

The problem is that if within the ranges I'm looking there are patterns that loosely match the term, then the countifs() returns true without fully evaluating the entire string. In other words, I am specifically looking for strings "II-A" in said formula, but countifs() is returning counts for all strings that are not only "II-A" but "I-A" as well. Naughty countifs()!

Is there an easy way to do this. I seriously do not want to have to rethink/rewrite these formulas. I found a method called exact() but rolling that in just seems painful. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!