The St. Ignace Saints captured the Class C district volleyball championship game, defeating the Rudyard Bulldogs in three to five matches. Thursday, November 5. Team members include (front, from left) Amber St. Andrew, Martina Beaudoin, Carissa Cowell, Lauren Winkelman, Kayla Fulgenzi, Anna St. Andrew, Kali Jo Marshall; (back) Molly Sposito, Holly Smith, Mallory LaLonde, Amanda Dixon, Christi Therrian, Katy LaTour, Dana Schieding, and Coach Gracia Marshall. St. Ignace and Rudyard had to battle five matches before the host Saints edged the Bulldogs in the deciding game for the Class C district championship Thursday, November 5.

The Saints first district crown since the 2006-07 winter season didn't come easy as St. Ignace won the first two games 25-17 and 25- 23, but then Rudyard turned the tide with 25-17 and 25-14 victories before the Saints posted a 15-13 decision in the final game.

"We played with strong intensity in the first two games. It was one of our best performances this season," said Saints Coach Gracie Marshall.

Christi Therrian (left) of St. Ignace and Emily Jeffreys of Rudyard go high to block the volleyball during the district finals. Anna St. Andrew served 10 points and Kali Jo Marshall registered seven points to lift the Saints in the first game. Mallory LaLonde recorded nine points and Holly Smith four in the second game.

Rudyard didn't quit and bounced back in the third game as Emily Jeffreys served seven points and Leah Wallis added four. The Bulldogs tied the district match at two games each after Wallis served six points and Ashlee Bonnee notched five to send the match into the fifth and deciding game.

"We played cautiously in the first two games, but stepped up our play in the remaining three games," said Bulldogs Coach Ellen Perry.

“Rudyard stepped up their play and we backed off in the third and fourth games and in the fifth game both teams were on fire," added the Saints coach.

Rudyard Bulldogs Coach Ellen Perry and captains (from left) Liz Schroeder, Leah Wallis, and Emily Jeffreys. The Saints took an 8-4 lead as LaLonde served five points before Jeffreys tied the score at eight with three service points.

Carissa Cowell served two points for an 11-8 Saints advantage and the Bulldogs’ Jesse Rye tied the score at 11 before St. Ignace held a 4-2 scoring edge down the stretch for a two-point win and the title.

Saints statistics: Kali Jo Marshall, 35 sets, 15 good serves, 10 good passes, six attacks; Dana Schieding, 25 good passes, five good serves, two aces, three assists, two digs, two kills, two attacks; Anna St. Andrew, 15 good passes, 10 good serves, eight digs, four attacks, two assists; Carissa Cowell, 20 assists, two good serves, two aces; Lauren Winkelman, 15 good passes, three good serves, two aces, three digs; Holly Smith, 25 assists, four good serves, three good passes; Christi Therrian, 15 attacks, five kills; Katy LaTour, 10 attacks, five kills; Mallory LaLonde, 15 good serves, two aces, six digs.

Bulldogs statistics: Emily Jeffreys, 22 digs, 12 kills; Leah Wallis, 23 digs, 10 kills, eight aces, 12 assists; Dominque Tromblay 22 digs; Ashlee Bonnee, eight assists; Jesse Rye, four aces.

The Saints traveled to Iron Mountain to battle the host Mountaineers in the opening round of the Class C regionals Tuesday, November 10. (Results not available by press time.) Calumet and Negaunee faced each other in the second regional game.

Rudyard Volleyball Earns

Academic All-State

The Rudyard Bulldogs varsity volleyball team received Academic All-State honors with a 3.55 grade point average (GPA). Senior Liz Schroeder has a 4.0 GPA; juniors Jesse Rye 4.0, Leah Wallis 3.8, Caitlyn Mudroch 3.7, and Eryn Reed 3.5; sophomore Hunter Perry 3.9.

Saints, Bulldogs Post

Come-from-behind

Win in Semi's

The St. Ignace Saints and Rudyard Bulldogs had to come from behind to win Class C semifinal matches and advance to the championship round Tuesday, November 3.

The Saints and Bulldogs, playing on the road, had to go the distance in five set matches to post the win as St. Ignace defeated Manistique 25-11, 7-25, 18-25, 25- 19, and 15-13 and Rudyard downed Newberry 23-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-19, and 15-10.

St. Ignace: The Saints trailed two games to one before ralling from a 16-10 deficit in game four and 11-6 in match five.

"We regrouped in the fourth and fifth games," said Saints Coach Gracia Marshall.

The Saints outscored the Emeralds 15-3 down the stretch in game four. Carissa Cowell came in to give St. Ignace a huge lift in game five with six unanswered service points to jumpstart the Saints from an 11-6 Manistique lead to a 12-11 edge, and won by two points.

Saints statistics: Kali Jo Marshall, 40 assists, six good serves, two aces, 23 good passes, eight kills, three digs; Dana Schieding, 35 good passes, eight good serves, one ace, 12 attacks, eight assists five digs, three kills; Anna St. Andrew, 30 good passes, 12 good serves, six attacks; Carissa Cowell, six good serves, five aces, 12 assists, six good passes; Lauren Winkelman, 22 good passes, seven good serves, two aces; Holly Smith, 20 assists, three good serves, two aces, five good passes; Mallory LaLonde, 12 good serves, four aces, 12 good passes; Katy LaTour, 15 attacks, 10 kills, six good passes, two blocks; Christi Therrian, 11 attacks, five kills; Amber St. Andrew, three good passes, two good serves, one ace; Martina Beaudoin, two good passes.

Rudyard: The Bulldogs lost their first two games before storming back to post three consecutive victories.

"All the games were close. After we settled down, we played much better and all 13 girls contributed," said Bulldogs Coach Ellen Perry. "We started serving better in the third game and put together points which was a key to our comeback."

Bulldogs statistics: Leah Wallis, 14 assists, six aces, nine kills, three blocks; Emily Jeffreys, 15 kills, 14 digs, two blocks, 100% serving; Dominique Tremblay, 19 digs; Junger Perry, 12 digs; Jesse Rye, 14 of 16 serving, Ashlee Bonnee, eight assists; Eryn Reed made clutch digs down the stretch.