Negaunee’s Chloe Norman, top right, swings to make a hit back to Gladstone in their Mid-Peninsula Conference volleyball match played at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee on Tuesday. (Journal photo by Amy Grigas)

“Hopefully we can carry over the positives from (Tuesday).” — Sarah MacDonald, Negaunee volleyball head coach, on MHSAA Division 3 district tournament opener vs. Manistique next week

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NEGAUNEE — The Negaunee varsity volleyball team ended its regular season on a high note as it prepares for Monday night’s MHSAA Division 3 district tournament opener against Manistique.

The Miners earned a three-set sweep of Gladstone, 25-15, 25-13, 25-7, at Lakeview Memorial Gym on Tuesday behind a 10-kill performance from Abbie Tollefson on Senior Night.

Tollefson was joined by fellow seniors Chloe Norman, Alexa Gravedoni and Madison Downey. Norman added nine kills while Gravedoni and Downey each had three.

“They were great,” NHS head coach Sarah MacDonald said. “The energy was great and the effort was great. Both defense and offense, I think everything was just kind of clicking for us.

“Abbie was a superstar for sure. She’s coming out with 10 kills (tonight). She’s a leader and that’s all I can really say. She leads in every area of the game.”

While celebrating Senior Night is standard tradition for the final regular-season home game or match, the Miners will have one more game in front of the home crowd when they welcome the Emeralds to town for Monday’s district opener.

Manistique sits pretty as one of the top teams in the Upper Peninsula, and MacDonald knows Tuesday’s energy will have to carry over in order for her team to have a shot.

“Hopefully we can carry over the positives from (Tuesday),” she said. “We’ve got a few more things to work on. That will be a tough game, but we’ll give it our best. I’m proud of my team.”

Gladstone head coach Bill Lawrence was unable to be reached for comment after the match. The Braves open their playoff campaign facing Menominee in a Division 2 district next Wednesday.

The Miners pulled ahead 22-11 in Set 1 after an eight-point run. The set ended on a kill by Tollefson.

Gladstone went up 5-2 in the second set on two kills from junior Megan Crow, one from senior Chloe Grenier and back-to-back aces from senior Josie Lippens, before the Miners came back to tie it with the next three points, coming on two Braves’ errors and a double-hit violation.

The teams battled to a 10-10 tie before Negaunee earned the next four points on a lift violation, two kills from Norman and an ace from Gravedoni. The Miners cruised the rest of the way, with the set ending on a block from Tollefson.

Negaunee wasted no time gaining the lead in the final set, tallying the first three points. The Miners defense looked the strongest it had been all night, holding the Braves to just seven points as the set and match were clinched on a Miners’ nine-point run and Braves’ attack error.

Norman, Gravedoni and juniors Cami Rajala, Larissa Anderson and Mara Heino each finished with an ace. Anderson also led in assists with 18.

Defensively, Norman and Tollefson led the way with four digs while Gravedoni added three.

Statistics weren’t available for Gladstone.

Negaunee also won the JV match 2-0.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.