Gladstone Makes Strong Run In 'Rock' Tournament

GLADSTONE---It was some of the best volleyball that the Gladstone Braves have played in the past several years.

And even though it did not translate into a championship at the "Rock" Invitational, the Braves players left the court Saturday somewhat satisfied.

Gladstone's Callie Jensen on the serve.

Gladstone won three matches and tied another during pool play, and picked up an impressive win in the semifinals against the Gwinn Model Towners.

But in the final match, the Houghton Gremlins emerged with a 2-0 win to take "The Rock" championship trophy back to the Keweenaw Peninsula.

"They did very well," Gladstone Coach Liz Gendron said about her girls. "I'm very proud of them. They played very good defense, they did well anticipating...most of the time, I should say.

"They could have given up, and they never did."

Gladstone cruised through pool play, outside of a hiccup against Ishpeming.

The Braves toppled Rapid River, 2-0 (25-11, 25-11), and then beat a good Hancock team, 2-0 (25-18, 25-19).

Jess Beaudry's tip wins first set vs Gwinn

In the Braves' third match, they easily ousted Ishpeming, 25-13, in the first game. But in the second game, the Braves blew a 21-18 lead and lost, 27-25.

That forced the girls to settle for a tie in that match...but they bounced back nicely with a 2-0 win over Westwood in the final pool play match by scores of 25-11 and 25-16.

The result meant that Gladstone won its pool with a 7-1 record in games played. The girls then watched as Gwinn and Houghton battled to see who would win the other pool.

In the end, Houghton won two tight games, sending Gwinn into the semifinal against the Braves. Gladstone fell behind in the first set against the Model Towners, but managed to pull through with a 25-23 win. Then, in the second set, the Braves dominated, 25-20.

After Houghton outlasted Hancock in the other semifinal (17-25, 25-15, 25-11), the championship was set between the Braves and the Gremlins. Gladstone was looking for its first Rock Tournament championship since 2007, but it didn't happen.

Gladstone's Breane Aird with match point vs Gwinn

Houghton took control of the title match early on, and won the first game, 25-13.

And the Braves suffered a huge blow when outside hitter Jessica Beaudry re-injured her back, sending her to the floor in pain as her teammates looked on with sadness.

"She's our 'go-to' hitter," Gendron said of Beaudry. "She's our big swinger, and we rely on her. So, it's tough. But I told the girls during the second game that 'we could come together, face adversity, and use each other. Because that is what this sport is all about. It's about six players on the court, not one. And I thought they did well."

With Beaudry gone, the girls struggled to communicate and get into the proper position as the match moved on.

Still, in the second game, Gladstone rallied from a 20-13 deficit to close to within 20-19...and as chance to at least force a third game.

"You saw how they ran after the ball," Gendron said. "They didn't just lie down. So, I'm very proud of them. Callie (Jensen) did a really good job of serving to catch us up at 20-19. We just missed that short serve, that could have swung the momentum."

But, alas, Houghton scored the final five points to seal the champi0nship, 25-19.

"It's been a while since we took that Rock home," Gendron said, shaking her head.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and videos from the Gladstone girls' games in the tournament. Also, click to listen to all of Coach Liz Gendron's post-game comments.