ESKO — Esko’s Maren Bailey saw an opportunity early in the third set against Grand Rapids Tuesday, Sept. 15.
For much of the second and third sets, the Thunderhawks set a block specifically for the sophomore hitter. This time, though, the block wasn’t there. Bailey rose up and pounded the ball to the floor for a match-changing kill.
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“We needed that momentum,” she said. “It also gave me a little bit more confidence to keep swinging.”
Senior Maya Johnson followed it up with an ace and Esko went on to sweep Grand Rapids 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 25-20). Bailey finished with 14 kills and Johnson finished with 28 assists in the team’s eighth-straight win.
Esko coach Pete Stasiuk was “blown away” by his team’s play Tuesday and the past four matches. Esko won the North Branch Invitational over the weekend, snagging a win over Class AAAA Cambridge-Isanti, as well as Princeton and the host Vikings — both Class AAA schools. They dropped just one set in the tournament — the only one they’ve lost since a season-opening loss to Southwest Christian.
“It sure is fun to watch,” Stasiuk said. “We’re not allowing long runs against us. We’re finding ways out of tough situations and then puttin...