Eskymo Volleyball Knocks Off Gladstone Again, 3-0

Click the thumbnails to see pictures taken by RRN's Freddy VanBrocklin, and to hear interviews with Escanaba Coach Adam Lambert and Gladstone Coach Kaitlyn Hardwick.

GLADSTONE---The Escanaba High School volleyball team swept the Gladstone Braves, 3-0, Tuesday night, but the third set was a marathon, with the Eskymos winning, 31-29.

The first two sets were won easily by the Eskymos, 25-15 and 25-10, before that intense third set that went into overtime.

"The match went fantastic," Escanaba Coach Adam Lambert said. "It went how we planned. We weanted a three-set win, and that's what we got. Gladstone gave it to us that last set. They did really well, just as far as their hype, their energy. They picked up a lot of our hits in the third set. That third set was fun. That was a lot of fun for us."

For Gladstone Coach Kaitlyn Hardwick, it was encouraging to see, but also, at the same time, frustrating, because she feels the Braves should play like that more often. Her Braves fell behind the Eskymos, 2-0, in the previous meeting, before winning the third set in a 3-1 loss.

"That third game was definitely our best game," Hardwick said. "But usually, that's how ot always works. The first two games, definitely, were not our best. They couldn't figure it out right away. They just need to play with more heart in the first two sets."

Escanaba improved to 6-9 on the season, and have won three straight matches. The Eskymos will travel to Marquette Thursday night. Gladstone, meanwhile, is still winless on the season, with an 0-8 record. The Braves will visit Kingsford on Thursady evening.