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ISHPEMING - Coach Collene Froberg says her Gwinn High School volleyball team plays better when it's behind.

The Modeltowners proved it Tuesday night in Ishpeming.

Rallying late in two games, the GHS girls overcame a scrappy Ishpeming Hematites squad to win the Mid-Peninsula Conference match, 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-18, 27-25).

"We practice all the time with the junior varsity team to come back from a deficit," Froberg said after her team improved to 6-8 in M-PC play.

"My girls all year have been playing better when they're within reach - coming from behind. We struggle holding the lead and staying ahead."

In the first game, Ishpeming led 23-20 before the Modeltowners scored five straight points to win.

And in the fourth game, Gwinn faced a 18-12 deficit before rallying to outlast the Hematites (5-21-7, 2-11 M-PC) by a 27-25 count.

"We've been struggling all year with finishing plays and finishing games," Froberg said. "Tonight, I give (my girls) credit for doing that.

"It was a close match and they finished out the game."

Josie Hedglin led the Modeltowners with nine aces. Emily Bray recorded eight kills and two aces, while Callie Corkin posted 10 assists and 29 digs.

Hedglin recorded three straight aces in the fourth game to help Gwinn rally from a 17-12 deficit, then recorded three more to help give the Modeltowners a 22-21 lead.

For the Hematites, it was a case of pushing Gwinn to the limit, but falling short at the end.

"We struggle to finish games," Ishpeming coach Amy Rautiola said. "I'm at a loss of what to tell them besides they have to stay aggressive at the end of a game.

"They can't start to get nervous and play wimpy. They have to keep swinging."

The Hematites did just that in the second game, leading start to finish behind three aces by Annie LeSage and key kills by Kerrie Myers and Aireka Pierce.

Myers and Pierce wound up with 10 kills each on the night, while LeSage finished with nine aces and 28 assists. Erin Garceau chipped in 18 digs.

"Give credit to Ishpeming for playing very good defense (in the second game). Their hitting was good (too)," Froberg said.

Rautiola added, "Our hitters were really reading the court and seeing where the open spots were. You could see that in the first few points.

"But during the third and fourth games, Gwinn made some adjustments to that and our girls kept trying to force some tips that weren't there."