GLADSTONE---The Marquette Redettes held off a late Gladstone Braves rally to post a key Great Northern Conference volleyball win Tuesday night, 3-1, in Gladstone.
At the same time, Kingsford blanked Escanaba, 3-0, in Kingsford.
In Gladstone, the Braves raced to an 11-3 lead in the first set and took a 25-20 win.
Then in the second set, Gladstone led, 24-22, and was serving for the set, before the Redettes rallied to stay alive. With the set on the line, freshman Seiler Hruska dove to save a ball an inch or two above the floor, and seconds later, the Redettes got a kill from Delaney Sall.
Marquette would win that set, 27-25, to tie the match at 1-1.
Marquette easily won the third set, 25-15, and appeared to be on its way to an easy win in the fourth set, leading 20-5. But not so fast. Gladstone went on a run. A big run.
Braves sophomore Megan Crow led the comeback with a dominating performance in the middle, getting a spike, a tip, and a block during the rally.
Crow's last point, a tip, brought the Braves back to within 24-23.
But Hruska put it away with a solid spike winner.
"When you get a big lead like that, you almost cringe as a coach," Marquette Coach Mike Morgan said. "It's hard to teach that killer instinct. The girls tend to let up a bit and then when the other team makes a run, they worry about making mistakes. And I tell you, that's when mistakes start happening. Gladstone made a heck of a run. We just needed to settle down, make a pass, and that's what we did to end it."
Marquette avenged its only conference loss of the season, a 3-2 win by Gladstone in Marquette. The Redettes have two GNC matches left: against Escanaba and Kingsford.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, videos, and hear comments from Marquette Coach Mike Morgan.
At the same time, Kingsford blanked Escanaba, 3-0, in Kingsford.
In Gladstone, the Braves raced to an 11-3 lead in the first set and took a 25-20 win.
Marquette would win that set, 27-25, to tie the match at 1-1.
Marquette easily won the third set, 25-15, and appeared to be on its way to an easy win in the fourth set, leading 20-5. But not so fast. Gladstone went on a run. A big run.
Braves sophomore Megan Crow led the comeback with a dominating performance in the middle, getting a spike, a tip, and a block during the rally.
Crow's last point, a tip, brought the Braves back to within 24-23.
But Hruska put it away with a solid spike winner.
"When you get a big lead like that, you almost cringe as a coach," Marquette Coach Mike Morgan said. "It's hard to teach that killer instinct. The girls tend to let up a bit and then when the other team makes a run, they worry about making mistakes. And I tell you, that's when mistakes start happening. Gladstone made a heck of a run. We just needed to settle down, make a pass, and that's what we did to end it."
Marquette avenged its only conference loss of the season, a 3-2 win by Gladstone in Marquette. The Redettes have two GNC matches left: against Escanaba and Kingsford.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, videos, and hear comments from Marquette Coach Mike Morgan.
