ESCANABA---Using their extreme height advantage at the net, the Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils went undefeated to win the Escanaba Elks Volleyball Invitational championship on Saturday in Escanaba. The Blue Devils won all four pool play games, then topped Marquette in the semifinals and Rudyard in the finals to win the trophy.
Gladstone went 0-4 in the event, with losses to Rudyard, Menominee, Negaunee, and Marquette.
"Poor hitting and passing," said a flu-stricken coach Liz Gendron after the loss to Marquette. "We will have to spend more (practice) time on the basics."
As for the loss to Negaunee, Gendron added: "We didn't show up for this one."
And the loss to Menominee? "Kelsey Fournier was in to set for her first match. (She) did a nice job. We're still looking for the go-to hitter."
Escanaba beat Westwood in the morning pool match-up, and then faced Manistique in the second match. The Eskymos led most of the way, but lost that first game at the very end, 25-23. Escanaba managed to earn a tie by beating the Emeralds in Game #2.
The Eskymos then faced Ishpeming, and did not play their best volleyball. Escanaba split a pair of 25-23 games with the Hematites to improve to 1-0-2 in the tournament.
But with a match against the powerhouse Sault Ste. Marie team, the Eskymos pretty much needed a win against either Manistique or Ishpeming to make the semifinals.
Escanaba ended up being swept by the Soo, 25-10 and 25-14. It was Escanaba's only loss of the day, but the two ties left the girls in third place in the pool, and out of play.
The tournament semifinals saw Manistique lose to Rudyard, and the Soo pound Marquette.
The Soo Blue Devils ended up winning the tournament with a 2-0 win over Rudyard in the finals, by scores of 25-14 and 25-19.
Pictured at top of page: Gladstone's Callie Jensen (20) sets the ball as Rudyard's Savannah Dugan (13) readies for the upcoming kill.
Here are all of Saturday's scores:
Pool Play #1
Escanaba 2, Westwood 0 (25-19, 25-15)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Ishpeming 0 (25-19, 25-9)
Escanaba 1, Manistique 1 (23-25, 25-23)
Manistique 2, Westwood 0 (25-17, 25-15)
Westwood 1, Ishpeming 1 (25-22, 19-25)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Escanaba 0 (25-10, 25-14)
Manistique 2, Ishpeming 0 (25-16, 25-17)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Manistique 0 (25-18, 25-17)
Escanaba 1, Ishpeming 1 (23-25, 25-23)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Westwood 0 (25-12, 25-00)
Pool Play #2
Rudyard 2, Gladstone 0 (27-26, 25-16)
Menominee 2, Gladstone 0 (25-23, 25-14)
Negaunee 1, Marquette 1 (25-21, 11-25)
Rudyard 2, Negaunee 0 (25-19, 25-19)
Negaunee 2, Gladstone 0 (25-20, 25-15)
Menominee 2, Negaunee 0 (25-16, 25-20)
Rudyard 2, Marquette 0 (25-17, 25-23)
Marquette 2, Menominee 0 (25-23, 25-23)
Menominee 1, Rudyard 1 (25-19, 20-25)
Marquette 2, Gladstone 0 (00-00, 00-00)
Semifinal#1
Rudyard def. Manistique (00-00, 00-00)
Semifinal#2
Sault Ste. Marie def. Marquette (00-00, 00-00)
Championship
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Rudyard 0 (25-14, 25-19)
Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box at the top of this page to see pictures and videos taken of all of the teams at this event.
"Poor hitting and passing," said a flu-stricken coach Liz Gendron after the loss to Marquette. "We will have to spend more (practice) time on the basics."
As for the loss to Negaunee, Gendron added: "We didn't show up for this one."
And the loss to Menominee? "Kelsey Fournier was in to set for her first match. (She) did a nice job. We're still looking for the go-to hitter."
Escanaba beat Westwood in the morning pool match-up, and then faced Manistique in the second match. The Eskymos led most of the way, but lost that first game at the very end, 25-23. Escanaba managed to earn a tie by beating the Emeralds in Game #2.
The Eskymos then faced Ishpeming, and did not play their best volleyball. Escanaba split a pair of 25-23 games with the Hematites to improve to 1-0-2 in the tournament.
Referees John Ziemba and John Ziemba Jr.
Escanaba ended up being swept by the Soo, 25-10 and 25-14. It was Escanaba's only loss of the day, but the two ties left the girls in third place in the pool, and out of play.
The tournament semifinals saw Manistique lose to Rudyard, and the Soo pound Marquette.
The Soo Blue Devils ended up winning the tournament with a 2-0 win over Rudyard in the finals, by scores of 25-14 and 25-19.
Pictured at top of page: Gladstone's Callie Jensen (20) sets the ball as Rudyard's Savannah Dugan (13) readies for the upcoming kill.
Here are all of Saturday's scores:
Pool Play #1
Escanaba 2, Westwood 0 (25-19, 25-15)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Ishpeming 0 (25-19, 25-9)
Escanaba 1, Manistique 1 (23-25, 25-23)
Manistique 2, Westwood 0 (25-17, 25-15)
Westwood 1, Ishpeming 1 (25-22, 19-25)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Escanaba 0 (25-10, 25-14)
Manistique 2, Ishpeming 0 (25-16, 25-17)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Manistique 0 (25-18, 25-17)
Escanaba 1, Ishpeming 1 (23-25, 25-23)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Westwood 0 (25-12, 25-00)
Rudyard 2, Gladstone 0 (27-26, 25-16)
Menominee 2, Gladstone 0 (25-23, 25-14)
Negaunee 1, Marquette 1 (25-21, 11-25)
Rudyard 2, Negaunee 0 (25-19, 25-19)
Negaunee 2, Gladstone 0 (25-20, 25-15)
Menominee 2, Negaunee 0 (25-16, 25-20)
Rudyard 2, Marquette 0 (25-17, 25-23)
Marquette 2, Menominee 0 (25-23, 25-23)
Menominee 1, Rudyard 1 (25-19, 20-25)
Marquette 2, Gladstone 0 (00-00, 00-00)
Semifinal#1
Rudyard def. Manistique (00-00, 00-00)
Semifinal#2
Sault Ste. Marie def. Marquette (00-00, 00-00)
Championship
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Rudyard 0 (25-14, 25-19)
Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box at the top of this page to see pictures and videos taken of all of the teams at this event.
