Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and listen to post-game comments from Sault Coach Stephanie Lynn, Escanaba Coach Adam Lambert, Marquette Coach Ann Crandell-Williams, and Stephenson Coach Jackson Miller.
ESCANABA---Six Upper Peninsula teams played a full day of high school volleyball Saturday in Escanaba at the Elks Invitational.
Sault Ste. Marie topped Escanaba in the championship match after rallying past Stephenson in the semifinals. The Eskymos had defeated Marquette in the other semifinal.
The tournament normally has ten teams rom across the U.P., but four teams pulled out because of Homecoming activities at their respective schools.
"I think the teams that showed up today were the right ones to be here," Escanaba Coach Adam Lambert said. "It was good competition all day long. Even the small school Stephenson, they held their own making the semifinals."
In fact, the Stephenson Eagles, by far the smallest school in the six-team field, nearly made the championship match. The Eagles won the first set against Sault High in the semifinal, amd was four points away from victory in the second set, leading, 21-17.
But the Blue Devils, featuring two girls who are 6-feet and above, rallied to win, 25-23, and then won the third set easily, 25-11, to advance to the championship match.
"We kind of took Stephenson for granted," Sault High Coach Stephanie Lynn said. "They were really, really scrappy. We get kind of caught up in our heighth, which lets us get away with a lot of things. So, those smaller schools, they have a lot more grit with their defense that we take for granted sometimes. But we were able to pick it up and I think that helped us carry it over into the championship game."
Stephenson Coach Jackson Miller was happy with his team's performance.
"We knew they were going to be a very good team, actually, the toughest team that we've faced in our whole season," Miller said. "They stepped up to the occassion, which I thought was awesome. They played right up to their level. They (Sault) took it to the next level and we gave them way too many freeballs. But I thought our defense was as good as it could be, and I think this is going to help us down the road against our conference teams."
In the other semifinal, Escanaba cruised to a rather easy two-set win over Marquette.
The young Redettes team, however, is much-improved from earlier this season, when they lost every Great Northern Conference match and have won six of their last ten matches after starting with a 1-13-1 record.
"I'm really, really pleased," Marquette Coach Ann Crandell-Williams said. "Their passing has come along. They were much more aggressive offensively today. Of course, that came through because they're passing a little better and our setters are getting the ball to the target a little more. It's slowly, but surely, coming together a little bit. And their mental game is getting better as they get more varsity experience."
In the championship match, the Blue Devils were in control from start to finish, other than a four-point run toward the end of the second set when Katelyn Stalboerger had three kills.
"Sault Ste. Marie is a great team, and this was a good tournament for us," Lambert said. "Our girls did well making it to the tournament championship game. We'll take it. They (the girls) aren't proud of their runner-up, but I am. I'm proud of these girls for making it this far. We've got a great program this year."
"That last set, I like that," Lynn said. "Their middle, #23 (Stalboerger), she was super-athletic and super-strong. We knew she was the one that we had to slow down, a lot. Their serving, in the beginning, in pol play, really got us out of system. They serve really quick and they run a really fast game. So, they're impressive. But we just happened to have a little bit more momentum heading into this championship game."
The Eskymos and Blue Devils will do it all again this Wednesday night, when the Sault High girls come back to Escanaba for a dual match,
ESCANABA---Six Upper Peninsula teams played a full day of high school volleyball Saturday in Escanaba at the Elks Invitational.
Sault Ste. Marie topped Escanaba in the championship match after rallying past Stephenson in the semifinals. The Eskymos had defeated Marquette in the other semifinal.
"I think the teams that showed up today were the right ones to be here," Escanaba Coach Adam Lambert said. "It was good competition all day long. Even the small school Stephenson, they held their own making the semifinals."
In fact, the Stephenson Eagles, by far the smallest school in the six-team field, nearly made the championship match. The Eagles won the first set against Sault High in the semifinal, amd was four points away from victory in the second set, leading, 21-17.
But the Blue Devils, featuring two girls who are 6-feet and above, rallied to win, 25-23, and then won the third set easily, 25-11, to advance to the championship match.
"We kind of took Stephenson for granted," Sault High Coach Stephanie Lynn said. "They were really, really scrappy. We get kind of caught up in our heighth, which lets us get away with a lot of things. So, those smaller schools, they have a lot more grit with their defense that we take for granted sometimes. But we were able to pick it up and I think that helped us carry it over into the championship game."
"We knew they were going to be a very good team, actually, the toughest team that we've faced in our whole season," Miller said. "They stepped up to the occassion, which I thought was awesome. They played right up to their level. They (Sault) took it to the next level and we gave them way too many freeballs. But I thought our defense was as good as it could be, and I think this is going to help us down the road against our conference teams."
In the other semifinal, Escanaba cruised to a rather easy two-set win over Marquette.
The young Redettes team, however, is much-improved from earlier this season, when they lost every Great Northern Conference match and have won six of their last ten matches after starting with a 1-13-1 record.
"I'm really, really pleased," Marquette Coach Ann Crandell-Williams said. "Their passing has come along. They were much more aggressive offensively today. Of course, that came through because they're passing a little better and our setters are getting the ball to the target a little more. It's slowly, but surely, coming together a little bit. And their mental game is getting better as they get more varsity experience."
"Sault Ste. Marie is a great team, and this was a good tournament for us," Lambert said. "Our girls did well making it to the tournament championship game. We'll take it. They (the girls) aren't proud of their runner-up, but I am. I'm proud of these girls for making it this far. We've got a great program this year."
"That last set, I like that," Lynn said. "Their middle, #23 (Stalboerger), she was super-athletic and super-strong. We knew she was the one that we had to slow down, a lot. Their serving, in the beginning, in pol play, really got us out of system. They serve really quick and they run a really fast game. So, they're impressive. But we just happened to have a little bit more momentum heading into this championship game."
The Eskymos and Blue Devils will do it all again this Wednesday night, when the Sault High girls come back to Escanaba for a dual match,
BLACK POOL
Sault Ste, Marie 2, Escanaba 1 (25-21, 18-25, 15-8)
Escanaba 2, Houghton 1 (25-22, 16-25, 15-3)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Houghton 1 (25-21, 25-11, 7-15)
ORANGE POOL
Marquette 2, Negaunee 1 (25-16, 25-19, 3-15)
Marquette 2, Stephenson 1 (25-19, 19-25, 15-6)
Negaunee 2, Stephenson 1 (19-25, 25-23, 15-13)
BRACKET PLAY
Escanaba defeated Houghton
Stephenson defeated Negaunee
SEMIFINALS
Escanaba 2, Marquette 0 (25-18, 25-11)
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Stephenson 1
CHAMPIONSHIP
Sault Ste. Marie 2, Escanaba 0 (25-15, 25-21)
