Austin Hemmingson | Daily Press The Gladstone volleyball team celebrates a point during the fifth set of Thursday’s “Volley for a Cure” match against Iron Mountain at Gladstone. The Braves rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

GLADSTONE — It was a great night to be a Gladstone Brave — on and off the volleyball court here Thursday. Off the court, the Braves honored those who have fought or are fighting cancer. On the court, the Braves rallied from a 2-0 deficit to stun Iron Mountain 3-2 (26-28, 11-25, 25-20, 25-8, 15-6) in a Mid-Peninsula Conference match.

Gladstone’s “Volley for a Cure” night began with a bake sale, raffles, silent auction, 50-50 and T-shirts for sale to benefit those fighting cancer. Each Braves’ player played in honor of someone who has fought cancer, and those names were announced before the game.

Also before the game, Gladstone Athletic Director David Lindbeck was presented with a tree in honor of his mother-in-law, Midge Ryan, who passed away from her battle with cancer in August. Ryan taught at Iron Mountain for several years.

“Playing for those who have fought cancer was very significant, but it was also very nice that they recognized (Dave’s) mother-in-law by presenting him with a tree in honor of her memory,” Braves’ coach Bill Lawrence said. “That was very moving for the whole team.”

Mountaineers’ coach Jeanne Newberry agreed.

“It was a great tribute to Midge Ryan,” Newberry said. “She’s got to be smiling that Iron Mountain was here on their cure for cancer night. Their “Volley for a Cure” night was phenomenal. Their tribute with the tree was just awesome. She was a big part of Iron Mountain. For all of this to just fall into place … she’s just got to be smiling.”

That moving movement before the game set the stage for a roller coaster game.

The first set was hotly contested, with the Mountaineers finding a way to pull it out. With the score even at 26 after numerous points back-and-forth, Iron Mountain closed the set with an ace by Alex Lewis and a Braves’ ball into the net.

They carried that momentum into the second set, jumping out to an 8-2 lead and not looking back in a 25-11 win.

Then, on a night when the Braves (4-6) made an inspiring effort to help the fight against cancer, the volleyball team put together an inspiring effort beginning in the third set.

Chloe Grenier got things started in a positive direction with a four-point service run to put the Braves up 7-2. Despite trailing the entire set, Iron Mountain pulled within 21-19 after a four-point run by Anna Rittenhouse. However, Gladstone called timeout to regroup and held on to win 25-20.

“The rotations (changed),” Lawrence said. “We changed the lineups. We tried a different lineup, and it worked pretty well in the first set. Then, we just kind of had an emotional letdown for the second set, so I went back to what has proven successful for us before.”

Momentum quickly swung the other way as the Braves dominated the fourth set. Makayla Sanville began the frame with a six-point run as the Braves rolled to a 25-8 win.

The deciding fifth set was much of the same as the Braves built a 5-1 lead. Grenier then went on a six-point run to make it 11-1 as Gladstone’s 6-foot-3 middle hitter Megan Crow dominated at the net. The Mountaineers pulled within 12-6, but the Braves scored the last three points to complete the comeback.

“In the second set, our serving hurt us really badly. After the second set, they just sort of came together,” Lawrence said. “One of the motivating factors is one of our players gave a really inspirational speech in between sets to play for the names on the back of their jerseys.”

Newberry struggled to grasp what went wrong.

“The first two games we were on, we were in sync, our serving was good, our rotation was good. Everything was snapping,” she said. “I didn’t change my rotations, but sometimes the momentum changes. They started digging up what we were putting down in the first two sets, and the rallies were longer. When you have those long rallies, you’re fighting for points.

“Ultimately, when you’re looking at the game, the momentum switch is huge. Getting the kids back up only takes a big block, only takes a big swing. A great serve can turn it around. Tonight, they had the momentum. We had it in the first two games, and they had it in the last three games.”

Rittenhouse led the Mountaineers with 13 kills and three blocks. Annslee Runsat chipped in with eight kills, five digs, a block and an ace. Kalli Balmes had 13 digs while Lewis added 14 assists. Leah Larsen had three kills, three digs and two aces while McKenna Smith added three kills and two blocks and Chloe Bianco chipped in with five digs.

In an up-and-down season, Lawrence believes this win could help his team going forward.

“I think it will give them a lot more confidence,” he said. “The other rotation was part of the girls’ idea. I’m always willing to listen and adapt, even if it’s a little unorthodox. It did work, so it did show them that it can work, but this really helps them to have that togetherness.”

Gladstone, which dropped the jayvee match 2-0, resumes in the Escanaba Elks Invitational Saturday.