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EBEN JUNCTION -- The championship match of the Northern Lights League volleyball tournament went right down to the wire here Saturday as the Big Bay de Noc Black Bears escaped with a 3-2 (25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 16-14) victory over the Kinross Maplewood Baptist Black Bears.
It was tied at 14 before Big Bay freshman Ivy Gates recorded a kill for a 15-14 lead moments before the match ended on a passing error by Maplewood.
"I thought we'd win," Big Bay senior Payton Pederson said. "The first set started real slow. We were nervous coming into this match. It feels really good to win this in my senior year. It's definitely rewarding. I think the fans got their money's worth."
The teams split their previous matches, both also going five sets.
"That's the way it has gone all season," Maplewood coach Erin Jentoft said. "It was back and forth. This went pretty much the way we expected. We have some great freshmen in our program. We absolutely have something to build on."
A kill by Pederson gave Big Bay an 11-7 lead before Maplewood rallied to tie the score at 12.
Junior Cali Miller helped Big Bay take the first set, recording a kill and a pair of service aces for a 24-18 advantage just before the opener was decided on a hitting miscue by Maplewood.
The second set was tied at 22 following a kill by Maplewood senior Emmy Hudacek before hitting and service errors sealed its fate.
Senior Lily LaFaver gave Maplewood a 24-17 advantage with a kill in the third set.
Big Bay trimmed its deficit to 24-19 on an ace by eighth-grader Emma Goldi prior to another ace by LaFaver ending that set.
The fourth set was tied at 16 before Big Bay went ahead on a serving miscue by Maplewood.
Big Bay led 23-21 before Maplewood tied the score on an ace by freshman Lula Erickson.
Maplewood then went ahead before Big Bay used a time-out.
A passing miscue then foiled Big Bay, forcing the match to go the distance.
"That's absolutely the way it also went during our two previous matches," Big Bay coach Angie Carley said. "We had momentum after the first two sets. I'm happy with the way our girls held their composure. As a coach, I couldn't be more proud."
Big Bay reached the title match with a 3-0 (25-23, 26-24, 25-17) conquest of last year's champion Mackinac Island.
The Black Bears were clinging to a 10-8 following a hitting miscue in the third set.
Two kills and an ace by Pederson helped the Black Bears surge to a 22-10 advantage.
Mackinac Island shaved its deficit to 24-15 on a kill by freshman Jenavieve Fisher.
The Lakers then trimmed their deficit to 24-17 on a Big Bay four-hit violation before the Black Bears sealed the verdict.
In the second, Mackinac Island tied the score at 24 on a kill by Fisher prior to a passing miscue, enabling the Black Bears to get in position to secure that set.
The Lakers tied the first set at 23 prior to a passing miscue which gave the Black Bears a 24-23 lead, putting them in position to secure that one.
Pederson served for nine aces and collected 20 kills and 15 digs through two matches. Goldi added eight aces and 14 digs. Freshman Kentlee DesJarden hit six aces to go with 13 digs.
Gates finished with four aces, three kills, 18 assists and 18 digs despite nursing a thumb injury and freshman Brooklynn Partain had two aces, an assist and 21 digs.
"The girls on the bench were cheering them on which shows how important every girl is to the team. Payton, our lone senior, is kind of the team's powerhouse and our younger players are right there with her. Ivy had to alter her serving and passing but showed her resiliency. This is real rewarding for the girls, especially considering how young they are."
Big Bay visits Superior Central for a triangular meet which includes Rock Mid Peninsula Tuesday.
Hannahville, which received an opening round bye, dropped a 3-1 decision to Beaver Island Saturday.
The Soaring Eagles were down 22-10 in the fourth set before a sideout and seven-point service run by McKenzie Mathias brought them back within four points.
Hannahville got within 24-21 before a kill by senior Haley Pease ended that match.
"It's a mental game and I felt our girls handled it pretty well," Hannahville coach Breanne Massey said.
The Soaring Eagles are idle until early November when they enter the Division 4 district tournament, hosted by Felch North Dickinson.