Mara Anderson delivers a serve for Escanaba. File Photo

HARRIS — Sophomore Mara Anderson provided a boost from the service line for Escanaba here Tuesday night in a hard-fought 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-15) volleyball victory over Bark River-Harris.

The Eskymos were clinging to a 14-13 lead in the fourth set before they got a sideout on a Broncos’ passing error in this non-conference match.

Senior Ava Stahlboerger got a kill, signalling the start of Anderson’s eight-point run as the Eskymos gained an insurmountable 23-13 advantage.

“We knew we had to win this set because we lost the first one,” Anderson said. “They made a pretty good comeback, but our energy was pretty high at the end. We got momentum and that gave us more confidence.”

A kill by senior outside hitter Dakota Bridges provided the Broncos with a kill.

Stahlboerger then added a kill and a hitting miscue by BR-H ended the match.

“It was a good volleyball match,” BR-H coach Brooke Bartley said. “In the third set we had some unfortunate serve receive errors. Escanaba was serving extremely tough and we struggled a little bit with their serves. I think if we can keep up our energy and intensity, we can do good things. We really want the girls to get into the right mindset.”

The finale was tied at seven before Anderson got a block to give Esky an 8-7 lead.

Esky was up 10-7 following a service ace by senior setter Mary Kate Tourangeau.

BR-H, however, stayed close until the decisive service run.

An ace by Stahlboerger enabled the Eskymos to take a 9-5 lead in the third set.

BR-H got within 10-9 on a kill by Bridges before Esky surged to a 14-9 lead on a four-hit violation by the Broncos.

The Broncos tied the score at 22 prior to committing a service error.

Esky then scored the last three points, clinching the third on a kill by Stahlboerger.

In the first set, the Broncos gained a 15-9 cushion on hitting miscue by the Eskymos.

A pair of kills by Stahlboerger and a block by Tourangeau helped Esky close within 15-13.

BR-H gained a 24-18 advantage on passing error by the Eskymos.

A service ace by Tourangeau brought the Eskymos within 24-23 before the Broncos closed out the first.

“Again the girls had a slow start, but once we got good passes we were okay,” Esky coach Bev Ziebell said. “We also a little bit of trouble with our serves. Although the girls are playing better together. As long as we keep our intensity and communication going we’ll be all right.”

The Broncos kept the upper hand well into the second, taking a 16-14 lead on a kill by Bridges.

Esky, however, went ahead 17-16 on an ace by junior Brooklyn Beauchamp.

The second set was tied at 19 before junior Ava Fitzpatrick blocked a shot by Davis to put Esky in front 20-19.

Esky gained a 23-19 cushion prior to committing an error on a return.

After the sideout, the Broncos committed a service error and hitting miscue which enabled the Eskymos to secure that set.

“I felt the girls brought energy into the first set and carried it into the second,” Bartley said. “We just need to clean up on our serve receives which are a very important part of the game. I felt we had a lot of momentum after the first set. We were doing the little things tonight.”

Tourangeau finished with six aces, five kills, one block 18 assists and three digs.

Bray and Stahlboerger were Esky’s leaders at the net with 12 kills apiece. Anderson added seven kills and senior Harlee Coolman had 15 digs.

BR-H, which won the freshman match, visits Stephenson Thursday.

Esky, which won the jayvee match (25-14, 16-25, 15-10), is idle until Oct. 16 when it travels to Sault Ste. Marie.

Escanaba — Tourangeau (six aces, five kills, one block, 18 assists, three digs); Stahlboerger (three aces, 12 kills, three digs); Bray (two aces, 12 kills, one block, one dig); Beauchamp (two aces, four kills, five assists, three digs); Dubord (two aces, two digs); Carter (one ace, three kills, six assists); Anderson (seven kills, one block, two digs); Moberg (three kills, one dig); Fitzpatrick (one kill, one block); Coolman (15 digs); Weise (one dig).