Braves, Eskymos Go Winless At Sault Tournament
SAULT STE. MARIE---The high school volleyball season is a marathon, not a sprint. That's what the girls on the Escanaba and Gladstone High School volleyball teams should keep in mind after both teams lost all of their matches at the Sault Ste. Marie Invitational. Gladstone lost Saturday to Houghton, 2-0 (13-21, 13-21), then lost to Rogers City, 2-0 (6-21, 13-21). Later, the Braves lost to a talented Petoskey team, 2-0 (13-21, 4-21). And then in bracket play, Gladstone fell to the host Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils, 2-0 (15-25, 18-25). "I knew it was going to be tough in our pool," Gladstone Head Coach Liz Gendron said. "Petoskey had an experienced team with an All-state, talented middle-hitter." "We struggled getting into a rhythm all morning," Gendron continued. "Poor passing and (poor) defense allowed the other teams to make big runs." Gendron said things did improve as the day went on. "In the last match, we started to bring it together," she said. "One bright spot of our day was our serving. Especially from Ashley Berthaume." Escanaba, meanwhile, also had its struggles on Saturday. The Eskymos opened by losing to Sault Ste. Marie, 2-0, by scores of 5-21 and 8-21. "We came out very anxious and jumpy," Eskymo Coach Bron Harmon said of the match-up with the Soo. "Our rotations felt foreign. Our inexperience showed." Then the Eskymos lost to Brimley, 2-0, but the scores were closer (15-21, 19-21). "We played the first 14 points of each set really well," Harmon said. "The scores were close, serving was strong, defensive positioning was better. (But) the attacks still really early so lots of hits were to the wall or in the net." Escanaba's third match was against Rudyard. Another 2-0 loss (13-21, 19-21). "Again, we started strong,," Harmon said. "The serve receive got away from us for five points in the first set when score hit 10-13. Attack timing was better and defensive passing was strong." Then, in bracket play, Escanaba lost to Petoskey, 2-0 (12-25, 8-25). Harmon echoed Gendron's comments about the strength of that Northman team. "We passed and attacked well," Harmon said. "But their 6-4 middle (MSU recruit) tooled our 5-10 middle block. We dug a few attacks from their outside attacks, but they controlled the match easily." Harmon thought her team did its best for the first time on the court. "The team matured on the court a lot," Harmon said. "We went 0-4 on the day, but each time we took the court, the girls made improvements in their play as individuals and as a team. They felt good about the day and I am excited for the potential they are showing." Ditto, says Gladstone's Gendron. "We learned a lot, and we will become stronger as the weeks progress." The Braves are off until Aug. 30 when they travel to Stephenson. The Eskymos, meanwhile, play at Iron Mountain Tuesday night. |
Date | Time | Opponent | Score | Record |
8/18 |
9:00 AM |
Houghton Gremlins
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
0-1
|
8/18 |
10:00 AM |
Rogers City Hurons
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
0-2
|
8/18 |
11:00 AM |
Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
0-3
|
8/18 |
1:00 PM |
Petoskey Northmen
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
0-4
|
8/30 |
8:00 PM |
at Stephenson Eagles
|
1 - 3 (L)
|
0-5
|
9/6 |
7:00 PM |
at Norway Knights
|
3 - 2 (W)
|
1-5
|
9/8 |
9:30 AM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
1-6
|
9/8 |
11:30 AM |
Hancock Bulldogs
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
1-7
|
9/8 |
1:00 PM |
Gwinn Model Towners
|
1 - 1 (T)
|
1-7-1
|
9/8 |
2:30 PM |
Westwood Patriots
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
1-8-1
|
9/13 |
7:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
3 - 2 (W)
|
2-8-1
|
9/15 |
9:00 AM |
at Marion, Wis.
|
1 - 2 (L)
|
2-9-1
|
9/15 |
10:30 AM |
at Abbotsford, Wis.
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
2-10-1
|
9/15 |
12:00 PM |
at Clintonville, Wis.
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
2-11-1
|
9/15 |
1:30 PM |
at Valdors, Wis.
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
2-12-1
|
9/15 |
3:00 PM |
at Marion, Wis.
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
3-12-1
|
9/18 |
8:00 PM |
at Menominee Maroons
|
0 - 3 (L)
|
3-13-1
|
9/20 |
7:00 PM |
Stephenson Eagles
|
0 - 3 (L)
|
3-14-1
|
9/25 |
8:00 PM |
at Marquette Redmen
|
2 - 3 (L)
|
3-15-1
|
9/29 |
10:00 AM |
Superior Central Cougars
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-16-1
|
9/29 |
12:00 PM |
Houghton Gremlins
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-17-1
|
9/29 |
1:30 PM |
Westwood Patriots
|
1 - 1 (T)
|
3-17-2
|
10/1 |
7:00 PM |
Menominee Maroons
|
1 - 3 (L)
|
3-18-2
|
10/4 |
7:30 PM |
Kingsford Flivvers
|
0 - 3 (L)
|
3-19-2
|
10/6 |
9:00 AM |
Rudyard Bulldogs
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-20-2
|
10/6 |
10:30 AM |
Negaunee Miners
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-21-2
|
10/6 |
12:30 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-22-2
|
10/6 |
2:00 PM |
Menominee Maroons
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
3-23-2
|
10/9 |
7:00 PM |
at Escanaba Eskymos
|
2 - 3 (L)
|
3-24-2
|
10/13 |
10:00 AM |
Ishpeming Hematites
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
4-24-2
|
10/13 |
11:30 AM |
Calumet Copper Kings
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
4-25-2
|
10/13 |
1:30 PM |
Dollar Bay Bays
|
2 - 0 (W)
|
5-25-2
|
10/13 |
3:00 PM |
L'Anse Purple Hornets
|
0 - 2 (L)
|
5-26-2
|
10/16 |
7:00 PM |
Marquette Redmen
|
2 - 3 (L)
|
5-27-2
|
10/25 |
7:30 PM |
at Kingsford Flivvers
|
1 - 3 (L)
|
5-28-2
|
10/29 |
7:00 PM |
Escanaba Eskymos
|
3 - 0 (W)
|
6-28-2
|
11/1 |
7:00 PM |
at Kingsford Flivvers
|
0 - 3 (L)
|
6-29-4
|