Justin St. Ours | Daily Press Escanaba’s Bailey Barron (center) spikes the ball between Marquette defenders Maria Millado (6) and Arlie Kulbieda (3) Tuesday in Escanaba.

ESCANABA — The Escanaba Eskymos were unable to dodge Marquette’s potent 1-2 punch in a 3-1 (25-18, 25-11, 20-25, 25-13) volleyball loss to the Redettes here Tuesday night.

Marquette senior middle blocker Maria Millado collected a season-high 21 kills and outside hitter Seiler Hruska added 14 in this Great Northern Conference match.

Millado also served for 10 straight points in the fourth set, helping the Redettes build an insurmountable 20-9 advantage.

“I’m proud of our girls tonight,” said Esky coach Adam Lambert. “They really stepped up in the third set. This gives us good momentum for (Division 2) districts to play a team of their caliber that well. It’s sure fun to watch Millado play. She places the ball very well. That was the first time in my coach career I called two time-outs during the same service run. It was a good match.”

Esky junior Katelyn Stalboerger concluded the third set with four consecutive service points, including three aces.

Marquette tied the score at 20 in the third before a service error gave the Eskymos a sideout, setting the stage for Stalboerger’s service run.

Esky was within 10-9 in the fourth following a kill by senior Bailey Barron prior to a passing miscue which gave the Redettes a sideout and a two-point lead.

“We carried the momentum into the fourth set, then we started playing safe,” said Lambert. “We told the girls if we kept doing that, they were going to crush the ball on us.”

Millado did just that with a match-clinching kill, enabling the Redettes to finish undefeated in the Great Northern Conference this season.

“We had a few more ups and downs tonight than we’ve had lately, but our players were able to stay with their mental game and power through,” said Marquette coach Ann Williams-Crandell. “Escanaba was a much stronger team tonight than the one we saw in Marquette (in a 3-0 victory Sept. 23) and gave us a run for our money. Winning the GNC was one of our team goals for the season, and I’m really proud of the girls for seeing it through.”

Esky was within 17-16 in the opener prior to a kill by Millado.

The Eskymos then committed back-to-back hitting errors, enabling the Redettes to gain a 20-16 advantage.

They were within 23-18 before kills by Millado and Hruska secured the opener.

In the second set, Esky was trailing 7-4 after a kill by Stalboerger.

Marquette then pushed its lead to 15-7 on an Esky passing miscue.

Esky trimmed its deficit to 15-10 but was unable to get any closer.

“We knew they had some strong hitters,” said Lambert. “I think the girls were a little anxious in the first set, then they settled in by the middle of the second.”

Stalboerger led the Eskymos with 12 kills. Junior Mari Bink added six kills and five assists. Freshman Grayson LaMarche also had six kills.

Millado had five aces and 12 digs to go with her 21 kills. Hruska also had 12 digs, and senior Katelyn Dunleavy collected four aces and 42 assists.

“I came in here a little a little nervous,” said Williams-Crandell. “I knew they were going to come after us hard, but Seiler came on in the fourth set, which made things a little easier. When Seiler plays in the back row, she’s of equal value as when she’s in the front row, and Maria has been so steady all year. I felt we started slow in the first set. We wanted to serve aggressively and try to keep them out of the middle.”

Esky hosts Manistique in its regular-season finale Thursday. The Redettes host Traverse City West in their D-1 district opener Monday.

Marquette — Millado (five aces, 21 kills, 12 digs); Dunleavy (four aces, five digs); Hruska (one ace, 14 kills, 12 digs); Jewewski (one ace, seven digs); Kulbeida (one aces, two digs); Nelson (five kills, eight digs); Marquardt (three kills); Holder (five digs).

Escanaba — Stalboerger (three aces, 12 kills); Mott (one ace, five assists); Bink (six kills, five assists); LaMarche (six kills); Whitson (one kill, one assist); Liss (one assist).