Gremlins sendoff seniors with win over Hematites
The Gremlins’ Annika Peterson goes up for the kill during a match against the Hematites in the Houghton gym Thursday. Attempting the block are Mya Hemmer (11) and Payton Manninen (3) of the Hematites. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)
HOUGTHON — The Houghton Gremlins said goodbye to seven seniors on the volleyball court Thursday night with a three-set sweep of the Ishpeming Hematites. It was the third time these two teams had met this season, and the outcome has been the same each time – a three-set sweep, this time by scores of 25-11, 25-14 and 25-15.
Interestingly Rachel Bigelow, who was one of the seniors, was playing in her first game of the season as she had been out all fall due to an injury. Coach Blaire Zenner had her serve to start each of the three sets, and she did quite well, much to the delight of her teammates and fans as she posted two aces on the night.
“We had a great night with our seniors stepping up and getting the job done,” said Zenner. “They are a great group of girls who will be missed.”
Bryn Lamppa, another senior, led the Gremlins with four aces on the night. Laney Johnson followed with three.
Ishpeming looked rusty and rightfully so according to their coach, Katt Beerling.
The Gremlins’ Stella Wickstrom reaches for a block on ball hit by the Hematites’ Addison Morton (7) during a match in the Houghton gym Thursday. Also in on the play for the Hematites is Sonja Kiviniemi (4). (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)
“We haven’t had practice in a while because of the snowstorm earlier this week,” she said. “Houghton took advantage of our weaknesses.”
The first two sets were dominated by the Gremlins ball control and their service runs.
In the first set, Johnson put together a run of four and pushed the Gremlins up 11-4, and from there they never looked back.
The second looked much the same. A kill by Stella Wickstrom, another senior, made it a 9-2 Gremlins lead, and Houghton kepy control from there. Wickstrom led the team with 10 kills on the night. senior Meghan Trewhella followed with eight and Annika Peterson, another senior, tallied six.
The third set was Ishpeming’s best in terms of competitiveness. They tied the set at eight, nine and 11 before taking a one-point lead at 13-12. However, their lead was brief, as Laampa stepped up to the line and kept the Hematites stuck at 14 as she her teammates posted six unanswered points to make a 20-14 advantage and an eventual win.
“Hats off to Houghton,” said Beerling. “They came to play on their senior night, and we didn’t.”
Saying goodbye
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- The Gremlins’ Annika Peterson goes up for the kill during a match against the Hematites in the Houghton gym Thursday. Attempting the block are Mya Hemmer (11) and Payton Manninen (3) of the Hematites. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)
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- The Gremlins’ Stella Wickstrom reaches for a block on ball hit by the Hematites’ Addison Morton (7) during a match in the Houghton gym Thursday. Also in on the play for the Hematites is Sonja Kiviniemi (4). (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)
Two other seniors the Gremlins said goodbye to were Kaci Dewar and Jiana Tang.
Up next
The Gremlins will travel to West Iron County and face the Wykons on Tuesday. They will then close out their regular season with a matchup against the Kingsford Flivvers on Thursday, Oct. 27.
