The 2024 Forest Park Varsity Volleyball Team poses with their medals after winning the Escanaba Elks Volleyball Invitational on Saturday in Escanaba. (Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press Photo)
ESCANABA — After a long day of volleyball action, Escanaba clashed with No. 1 Forest Park on Saturday in the championship match of the 2024 Escanaba Elks Volleyball Invitational.
The teams were even for much of the day, but the Trojans escaped with a big play at the end to win the title match, 25-22, 25-23.
“There were some moments where we just didn’t look good and played too carried away and overconfident.” Trojans coach Bobby Joe Anderson said. “Overall, I thought the girls played great and dug deep when they needed to.”
All sets of Saturday’s 10-team tournament began with a 4-4 tie, with the Trojans and Eskimos evening the second set at 22 all, marking the 10th tied score of the championship match. A service error by Esky sophomore Brooklyn Beauchamp gave FP a 23-22 lead and a 1-0 lead. Junior Eva Fisher created match point with a goal in the front left corner for a 24-22 lead.
“When we were going aggressive against them (Eskimos), they weren’t able to set up their attacks or the timing of their attacks was off.” Anderson said. “When we turned it over or got it free, they had some great hitters coming at us and pounding it.”
The Trojans were asked to hit the ball twice to keep the orange and black alive. But Fisher reminded everyone why he was named to the All-UP Dream Team as a sophomore a year ago. Fisher hit the winning shot, scoring a kill in the back center section of the floor to win the set, the match, and the tournament.
“She’s amazing” Anderson said of Fisher: “She’s a leader on the court for us, and in games like (Saturday’s championship game) you have to get the ball to her.
“When she’s on, she’s on and people can’t stop her. You have to keep feeding her, or as we say, ‘feed the beast. give”. ”
The first set of the title match featured a 70-point lead and two lead changes before the Trojans won four of the final five points of the set.
Esky and FP also clashed in pool play. The Trojans took the first set 25-14 and the Eskimos won the second set 25-16. It was the only set the Trojans lost on Saturday.
“Forest Park is a great team. They have some really good hitters.” Esky coach Beverly Ziebel said. “We held our own, but we made some mistakes.”
But before fans could see CFFP and Esky in the second round, each had to make it through the semifinal round. The Trojans, Orange Pool’s No. 1 team, defeated Negaunee, Blackpool’s No. 2 team, 25-17, 25-19.
Esky, the No. 2 team from Orange Pool, defeated the No. 1 team from Blackpool, Sault Ste. Marie 25-14, 25-20.
The Eskimos never trailed in the first set. The Blue Devils trailed to 16-13, but senior Grayson LaMarche had four kills and took the lead on a 9-1 run to end the first set of the semifinals. Seau scored the first four points of the second frame, but Esky came back to tie the game at 14 points.
From there, it was the orange and black team that earned 11 of the final 17 points to earn a ticket to the championship match.
The Eskimos and Blue Devils will clash again on October 17th in Escanaba.
“Our team is progressing.” Ziebel said. “I’ve seen a lot of girls improve. I’m going to keep doing my best. Keep winning.”
In pool play, the Eskimos defeated their Tuesday opponent Bark River Harris 25-22, 25-22 at home at 7 p.m., defeated Ishpeming Westwood 25-13, 25-13, and defeated Jeffers at 7 p.m. The score was split 25-21, 18-25.
Fisher led the Lady Trojans at Escanaba with 46 kills and 53 digs, along with four aces and four blocks.
For Forest Park, Harper Anderson (5 kills, 14 digs, 6 aces), Evie Anderson (6 kills, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 13 digs, 2 aces), Lily Curnow (22 digs, 7 aces), Contributions were also received from Tessa Bartoszek. (3 kills, 5 assists, 1 block, 6 digs), Elsie Williams (19 kills, 57 assists, 1 block, 22 digs, 3 aces), Ellie Ayers (27 kills, 8 blocks, 3 digs), Daraney Wagner (1 kill, 1 dig), Ella Gasperich (1 kill, 2 digs), Vienna Price (1 kill, 30 assists, 21 digs, 2 aces).
The Lady Trojans returned to action today with the Powers vs. North Central.
Daily News Sports Editor Sean Chase contributed to this report.
