Escanaba varsity volleyball team. Curtosey Escanaba High School

MANISTIQUE — Senior Mary Kate Tourangeau came through in the clutch here Thursday night, helping the Escanaba Eskymos escape with a 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11) volleyball triumph over the Manistique Emeralds.

The Eskymos were clinging to a 12-11 lead in the fifth set before Tourangeau recorded a kill to make it a two-point difference.

She followed that with a pair of service aces, enabling the Eskymos to improve to 16-11-1 with the non-conference victory.

“Mary Kate is a very dependable player,” Esky coach Bev Ziebell said. “She adapts to anything we need her to. This was their Senior Night. They were huge competition. You could tell this match meant something to them. I think both teams benefitted from tonight’s match.”

Esky gained a 6-1 lead on a kill by senior Landry Bray in the last set of this regular-season finale.

The Emeralds (16-11-3) climbed within 8-7 on a kill by junior outside hitter Aaliyah Sears.

Esky took an 11-7 lead on a passing error by the Emeralds.

Manistique shaved its deficit to 12-11 on a pair of hitting miscues by Esky, which then got a sideout and set the stage for Tourangeau’s match-ending heroics.

“We lost in four sets to Brimley Tuesday night and were pushing to get into a fifth set tonight,” Emeralds’ coach Amy Nixon said. “When two good teams get together we want to battle. We don’t want to play easy teams before the district. We purposely put bigger schools on our schedule for that reason.”

A five-point run, including three aces, by senior Ava Stahlboerger gave the Eskymos a 7-1 lead in the fourth set.

Manistique got a sideout on a hitting error before the Eskymos got the serve back on a kill by Bray.

Bray then added two kills, including one which gave Esky a seemingly-comfortable 12-3 advantage.

A kill by junior middle blocker MaKenna Davis provided Manistique with a sideout and sophomore defensive specialist Kendyl Flodin added a six-point service run as the Emeralds crept within 14-13.

The Eskymos then fell behind 16-14 on a pair of hitting miscues.

Esky was still within 17-16 following a hitting error by the Emeralds.

A kill by junior middle blocker Kaylynn McDougle put Manistique by two points and Esky had back-to-back hitting miscues, enabling the Emeralds to go up 20-16.

Esky rallied to tie the score at 20 on a block by senior Susan Moberg and stayed even at 21 on a kill by junior Brooklyn Beauchamp.

A hitting error then foiled the Eskymos and an ace by senior right-side hitter Maya Carlson gave the Emeralds an insurmountable 24-21 advantage.

“We had some ups and downs, although both teams did some good things,” Nixon said. “They had a couple good servers, but we were able to work our way through it.”

The first set was tied at 20 before back-to-back aces by junior setter Ashlyn Jones gave Manistique a 22-20 lead

The Emeralds extended their lead to 24-21 before closing the opener on an Esky hitting miscue.

In the second set, Esky was up 17-16 after a four-hit violation.

Manistique then fell behind by three points on a hitting and passing errors.

Esky senior libero Harlee Coolman hit a pair of aces and a tip kill by sophomore Mara Anderson made it 22-16.

Three consecutive hitting errors allowed the Emeralds to close with 24-21 before a kill by Bray sealed the deal.

The third set was tied at 23 after senior outside Kyra Carlson pushed the ball cross-court for a kill before the Eskymos ended that one on an Emeralds’ passing miscue.

“We struggled a little bit with our hitting, but the girls kept their energy up and came through,” Ziebell said. “I think our girls are excited for districts. They’re a good team. It was a tough match, but our girls pulled through. They’re real strong mentally. When they make a mistake, they can shake it off. Their energy was up and they gave us a run. Although, we didn’t let the couple sets we lost bother us.”

Coolman served for seven aces and Stahlboerger finished with six.

Bray collected 12 kills and Moberg and Stahlboeger added nine each.

Tourangeau recorded 20 assists and Beauchamp tallied 15.

Coolman was Esky’s defensive leader with 50 digs. Dubord added 20. Beauchamp added 15 and Stahlboerger had 10.

“It took little bit of time for Ava, Susie and Landry to adapt, but they came through with some good hits,” Ziebell said.

Flodin hit six aces to go with 34 assists and Kyra Carlson finished with 15 kills and 24 digs.

McDougle added eight kills, Maya Carlson had two blocks and Jones collected 29 assists in the Emeralds’ 5-1 offense.

“It was a good defensive night for Kendyl and Kyra,” Nixon said.

Esky hosts Gladstone (10-12) in its Division 2 district opener Monday. Manistique hosts Menominee (2-17) in its D-3 opener Wednesday.

Escanaba — Coolman (seven aces, four kills, 50 digs); Stahlboerger (six aces, nine kills, 10 digs); Tourangeau (four aces, three kills, 20 assists, five digs); Bray (two aces, 12 kills, two digs); Anderson (one ace, six kills); McInerney (one ace, four digs; Beauchamp (seven kills, 15 kills, 15 digs); Moberg (nine kills, two digs); Carter (one assist, three digs); Dubord (20 digs); Weise (one dig).

Manistique — Flodin (six aces, 34 digs); K. Carlson (15 kills, 24 digs); McDougle (eight kills); M. Carlson (two blocks); Jones (29 assists).