Escanaba senior Grayson Lamarche (22) attempts to block a kill attempt from West Iron County Senior Sydney Storti (2) during a match on Aug. 21, 2024 at Escanaba High School. ("The Big Dog" Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA –Don’t get it twisted, first game jitters are real.

Escanaba volleyball found that out during its season opener against West Iron County.

But once the jitters fade away spectators see what a team is made of. On this day, it was the Eskymos erasing a 2-0 hole to knock off the Wykons 23-25 21-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-9.

“The two first sets, we were getting the bugs out,” Esky coach Beverly Ziebell said. “All the girls were just a little nervous. We’ve changed the defense a little bit, so they were still trying to get used to that, getting the tips. But it went fantastic. Once they got in the groove, they did great.”

The Eskymos found themselves behind 14-11 midway through set three. Many things that could go wrong in the first game could go wrong; service errors, attack errors, communication breakdowns leading to multiple players watching the ball land on the hardwood.

Then one mighty swing in front of the net from senior Grayson LaMarche changed everything. Her swing led to a kill. Junior Harlee Coolman violently smacked the gym floor. It was the highlight of an 8-0 that not only forced a Wykons’ timeout midway through, but gave Esky a valuable 17-14 lead in set three. The Wykons clapped back with a 6-1 run of their own for a 20-18 advantage, but Esky claimed seven of the third stanza’s final nine points to claim set three and stay alive.

Esky trailed briefly in set four, finding itself behind 6-5. But it was the only moment the orange and black found themselves out of the driver’s seat, leading by as many as six points and owned at least a two-point lead after a 6-0 run put them ahead 11-6 before forcing a fifth stanza.

Similar to set four, Esky found itself firmly in control, but trailed 6-5. Then Mary Kate Tourangeau stepped up to the service line. The junior led the charge for a 7-0 run which featured a pair of aces. It’s a hand good enough to win in poker, and it was a hand good enough to put the Eskymos ahead 12-6. Junior Susie Moberg delivered an ace to make it 14-9 before Esky sealed the deal on a service error from Rowyn Fiszer.

“We need to work on our grit,” West Iron County coach Konnor Bjorkman said. “We need to be prepared to go to five games. We just need to be prepared.”

LaMarche totaled seven kills and four blocks. Coolman earned 18 digs and an assist. Tourangeau had five assists, three digs, two aces and a kill.  Moberg finished with six blocks and five kills

Katey Lamb added seven kills, an assist, a dig and a block. Senior Sophie Lehto claimed a pair of kills and a pair of digs. Lily Nelson earned five kills and five digs.

Ava Stalboerger accumulated a team-best eight kills while adding a pair of digs and a helper. Clara Braun totaled a team-best 16 assists to go with a pair of aces and a pair of digs. Brooklyn Beauchamp had five digs and three kills.

Foreign exchange student Bet Montal finished with two blocks and an assist in her Escanaba debut. Chloe Dubord added two digs. Breliegh Reinhart earned a dig. Landry Bray had an ace and a block.

All 15 members of the varsity roster contributed in some way, shape or form.

“We have a deep bench. We have fantastic, fantastic talent on this team this year,” Ziebell said. “It’s early, but I see big things for us.”

The Eskymos will be back in action for the Kingsford Invite Saturday and return to  their home floor to host Menominee on Sep. 5.

The Wykons will also compete in Saturday’s Kingsford Invite before venturing for a match in Ishpeming on Aug. 28.