MARQUETTE — Things appeared to be going Escanaba’s way after the fourth set of a Great Northern Conference volleyball match here Thursday night.

After dropping the first two sets the Eskymos rallied to force a fifth and a pair of kills by senior Landry Bray helped them take a 2-1 lead in the finale.

Marquette responded with five unanswered points, gaining a 6-2 lead on a service ace by junior Claire Parent en route to a 3-2 (25-21, 25-22, 17-25, 16-25, 15-8) victory over the Eskymos.

“We got momentum in the third and fourth sets,” Esky coach Beverly Ziebell said. “By the time the fifth set came around the girls were trying too hard. Our girls don’t have a problem getting energy. They were looking for the holes and stuck with them all the way. We put up a good fight. They just had the momentum in the end.”

The Eskymos trailed 9-3 after committing a defensive error before kills by seniors Susie Moberg and Ava Stahlboerger brought them within 9-5.

Esky was down 11-5 after an error on a return, then got a sideout on a block by Stahlboerger.

The Eskymos trimmed their deficit to 11-7, but were foiled on a hitting miscue and unable to get any closer.

“We played good as a team,” Marquette coach Melissa Butler said. “We struggled with our serves in the first set, but cleaned that up. This was a great win. They’re a strong team and they’ve always had a strong program. We regained our composure and played smart in the fifth set.”

Another kill by Bray gave Esky a 5-0 lead in the fourth set.

Marquette rallied to tie the score at five when junior Preslie Mason blocked a shot by Bray.

Esky was clinging to an 8-7 lead following a defensive error.

Marquette was still within 13-10 after Esky committed a service error.

The Eskymos then stretched their lead to 16-10 prior to a hitting miscue.

Marquette closed within 18-14 before Esky pulled away to claim that set.

In the third set, the Sentinels gained a 9-5 lead on a block by junior Bo Richardson.

Back-to-back net violations by Marquette enabled Esky to tie the score at nine.

The Eskymos surged to a 15-11 lead before a pair of kills by Parent brought the Sentinels within two points.

Esky led 18-15 before a block by the Sentinels went out of bounds.

The Sentinels were then called for a four-hit violation, giving the Eskymos a 20-15 cushion.

Esky took charge at that point, securing that set on a defensive miscue.

A five-point service run by junior Brooklyn Beauchamp helped Esky gain a 6-2 lead in the second.

Esky’s lead reached 12-6 when Bray tipped the ball over the net for a kill.

Marquette rallied to tie the score at 16 on another kill by Parent.

The Eskymos regained the lead at 20-19 on a net violation and took a two-point lead on a kill by Moberg.

Marquette answered with a 4-0 run, taking a 23-21 lead on a kill by junior Sophie Hausmann.

Esky shaved its deficit to 23-22 on a hitting error, then committed return and passing miscues, enabling the Sentinels to take that set.

“We’re working on playing together,” Ziebell said. “We need to trust each other more, although we’re coming around. A few girls weren’t feeling good tonight but insisted on playing.”

An ace by senior Harlee Coolman gave the Eskymos a 10-9 lead in the opener.

The Sentinels were clinging to a 14-13 lead following a hitting miscue.

Esky was still within 16-15 on a kill by Stahlboerger, then fell behind 22-16 on a hitting miscue.

The Eskymos climbed within 23-20 on a kill by junior Elizabeth Weise but were unable to pull that one out.

Stahlboerger hit four aces to go with 12 kills and seven digs. Coolman tallied four aces and 12 digs. Mary Kate Tourangeau added three aces, seven kills and nine digs. Bray finished with seven kills and three digs. Moberg collected five kills. Beauchamp recorded 15 assists and senior Chloe Dubord had 10 digs.

Esky, which won the jayvee match, travels to Iron Mountain Monday. Marquette, a winner in the freshman match, hosts Gwinn Tuesday.

Escanaba — Stahlboerger (four aces, 12 kills, seven digs); Coolman (four aces, 12 digs); Tourangeau (three aces, seven kills, nine digs); Beauchamp (one ace, three kills, 15 assists, four digs); Dubord (one ace, 10 digs); Bray (seven kills, three digs); Moberg (five kills); Anderson (four kills, six digs).