Gladstone senior Addy Blowers delivers a serve against Manistique on Sep. 2 2025 at Gladstone High School. (Adam Hinch/Daily Press)

GLADSTONE — A hard fought defensive battle led Gladstone volleyball to a three-set victory over Manistique in a Mid Peninsula Conference matchup here Tuesday.

The Braves were able to overcome some slow starts in two of the three sets to earn the win.

In the first set the Emeralds jumped out to an early 6-2 lead on a big block at the net by junior MaKenna Davis. The Emeralds extended the lead to 9-4 on back-to-back aces by sophomore Kendyl Flodin, with one of them landing just inside the line in the corner.

“Our defense was great tonight,” Emeralds coach Amy Nixon said. “They didn’t pound the ball down on us except that one big play and I contributed that to our defense.”

The Braves scored eight of the next 12 points to cut the deficit to 13-12. Then tied the game at 15 on a block by senior Lillie Johnson. Then took their first lead of the game at 16-15 on the next serve. Gladstone junior Brooklyn Lauscher delivered an ace inside the back line to extend the Braves lead to 19-16.

Manistique answered back with a three-point run to tie the game at 19.

The Braves responded to the Emeralds tying the game with back-to-back points to give the Braves a 21-19 lead then put the set away with a huge kill by Johnson to put them up 23-19.

“I knew it was going to be a good game,” Johnson said. “Manistique has a good team but I knew if we played as a team we would definitely have a shot.”

In the second set, the Emeralds jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but the Braves responded with four straight points to take the lead at 6-5.

The Emeralds answered with a five-point run of their own on a kill by junior Kaylynn McDougle to take a 10-6 lead. The Emeralds extended their lead to 14-8 on a kill by McDougle.

The Braves scored eight of the next nine points to tie the game at 15.

“Coming into the game we knew Manistique would not give it to us,” Braves coach Kaitlyn Hardwick said. “Last year we had to take it in five sets there in Manistique and they have a great program and I think very highly of Amy. She’s a great coach.”

The Braves ended the second set scoring 10 of the last 14 points.

In the third set, the match went back-and-forth with the two teams exchanging points and a kill by Addy Blowers tied the game at three.

“I didn’t start in the game,” Blowers said. “That just gives me extra motivation in the game and it makes me want to play harder for myself and for my team and just help bring the energy level up.”

The third set stayed tight but the Emeralds had a 17-15 lead late and the Braves responded scoring 10 of the last 14 points including thee aces by Johnson to take the match.