Escanaba junior Ava Stalboerger (23) attempts to gets the ball past Kingsford’s Kailey Sundquist (7) and Mylee Kreider (5) during a Great Northern Conference volleyball match on Sept. 10, 2024 at Escanaba High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA –Fresh off a weekend tournament in Big Rapids, Escanaba volleyball continued Great Northern Conference play on Tuesday.

The Eskymos ultimately fell to 1-1 in GNC action, suffering a 25-22, 20-25, 7-25, 19-25 home loss to Kingsford.

“I’m a little frustrated, but I knew this was going to happen because of the height of (Kingsford’s) hitters,” Esky coach Beverly Ziebell said. “I knew we were going to have to block a lot, and we’re still working on blocking. We’re getting there.” I think once the girls got it in their

With the match tied 1-1 and set three at a 4-4 stalemate, both the Eskymos and Flivvers had the golden opportunity to capture momentum. A kill from Kingsford senior Anna Bortolini kick-started an 18-2 run for a 22-6 advantage. Esky senior Grayson LaMarche ended the bleeding with a kill, but the Flivvers captured the final three points in the frame for a 2-1 match lead.

“We got in our rhythm,” Flivvers’ coach Jacklynn Kreider said. “We settled down a little bit. Early on we were getting jumpy, especially defensively, and then our hitters were overthinking. We settled in more and were able to feel like we were in control and play more relaxed.”

Esky didn’t back off in the fourth frame. The orange and black led by as many as three points in a frame which saw seven ties and five lead changes before being tied at 16.

Behind three kills from sophomore Mylee Kreider and an ace and kill from senior Alyssa Larson, the Flivvers claimed nine of the frame’s final 12 points to win the match.

Despite the loss, Esky showed fight in the opening frame. After five ties and lead changes, the Eskymos and Flivvers found themselves tied at 11. Then Esky senior Katey Lamb stepped to the service line with a 15-13 lead. Behind a pair of aces the Eskymos’ advantage grew to 18-13.

The Flivvers crept to within two points on multiple occasions, including at 24-22, but the Eskymos ultimately claimed the opening frame.

“We wanted to win. We wanted to make a statement,” Ziebell said. “We did, but I think it got away from us in the second (set). We came back, but just not quite enough.”

Bortolini totaled 18 digs, seven kills and a pair of aces for the Flivvers. Alyssa Larson accumulated 20 assists, five digs, four aces and three kills. Ellery Nash earned 22 digs. Jenna Viau accumulated 13 digs and a pair of aces. Mylee Kreider totaled eight kills and a dig.

Kailey Sundquist finished with 11 kills, two digs and two blocks.

“I’ve never seen Kailey Sundquist play as good as she did tonight,” Jaclyn Kreider said. “She played amazing.”

Maddy Kreider, the reigning U.P. Player of the Year, finished with 17 assists, 17 digs, 13 kills and a trio of aces. Cassie Olson added six kills, two blocks and a dig. Mya Bruswick had dive digs and a kill. Karly Trevillian added a dig.

Harlee Coolman finished with 16 digs and an ace. Chloe Dubord added three digs and an ace. Clara Braun amassed 13 digs, 12 assists and an ace. Lamb totaled 15 digs, six kills, four aces and an assist. Sophie Lehto earned a pair of kills. Landry Bray tallied a dig and a block. Susie Moberg finished with two kills. Mary Kate Tourangeau finished with 13 digs, three assists, two aces and a kill. Brooklyn Beauchamp added a dig and a kill. Bet Montal finished with two kills and a dig. Lamarche earned nine kills and a pair of digs. Ava Stalboerger added three kills.

“I think Escanaba played great,” Jaclynn Kreider said. “They put a ton of pressure on us, especially serving pressure, and our service receive really struggled in the first set.

Now the Eskymos shift their attention to another GNC foe, but this one possesses a different type of big fight feel. Esky collides with Gladstone at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“I have faith in my girls,” Ziebell said. “I felt that if we were on our game we would have dominated. But we got in our heads after the first couple (of sets) and it was a hard pill to swallow.”