Marquette’s Seiler Hruska, right, spikes the ball over Gladstone defender Amber King-Rabitoy on Tuesday at the Braves' gym. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Justin St. Ours)

“We’re lucky to have her. She really raises the level of play on our team.” — Ann Crandell-Williams, Marquette volleyball coach, on junior outside hitter Seiler Hruska

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GLADSTONE — Marquette started fast and never let up on the gas against a shorthanded Gladstone volleyball team on Tuesday, registering a three-set Great Northern Conference victory at the Braves’ gym.

The Redettes plowed through for a 25-13, 25-15, 25-11 victory.

“I think Keeley (Angsten) did a good job stepping up in Ahna (Larson)’s position,” Braves’ coach Averi Kanyuh said.

MSHS came out quick in the first set with a 7-1 run, including an ace by Roxy Nelson.

The Braves added two points thanks to Redettes’ mistakes to make it 7-3, but another run by Marquette, bolstered by back-to-back aces from Maria Millado, increased its advantage to 11-3.

“I would say one of the things we’ve been working on is connecting our middle offense — so our setters running that fast offense to our middle hitters — and we were able to pull that off, especially with Maria Millado,” Marquette coach Ann Crandell-Williams said. “I think she had quite a few kills tonight, but all of the middles tonight were able to put up that fast offense.

“I think we blocked well, but it wasn’t as strong of a serving night as we’ve had other nights. Overall, I think we served tough.”

The Redettes (11-1, 6-0 GNC) gave Gladstone opportunities throughout the opening set as the Braves’ next five points were due to Marquette errors, but GHS couldn’t capitalize.

“We struggled with a lack of communication and bringing up the intensity,” Braves coach Averi Kanyuh said. “I think we really need to focus on passing for our serve-receive, so we can focus on our offense more.”

Down 23-11, the Braves had a final opportunity when a Marquette serve landed out of bounds, while a net interference penalty added another point. However, the set was sealed by an ace from Marquette’s Seiler Hruska.

“Seiler really plays year-round,” Crandell-Williams said. “She plays for one of the better club teams in the Midwest. That’s what she does, and we’re lucky to have her. She really raises the level of play on our team.”

In the second set, the Redettes took another early lead, but Gladstone cut its deficit and took the lead after an ace from Amber King-Rabitoy and a Marquette return landing out of bounds.

The teams remained in lock step until a kill by Millado sparked a momentum shift for the Redettes.

Then, back-to-back Gladstone returns landed out of bounds on the way to a 15-11 Redette advantage.

The Braves added two points from Marquette mistakes to pull within 15-13, but a tip from Hruska and ace from Taylor Marquardt erased any gain.

Gladstone added two more points — one on a block by Megan Crow — before Hruska went on a five-point serving run and accumulated three more aces to seal the set.

The story was the same in the third set as the Redettes jumped out to a 9-3 lead, which Gladstone reduced thanks to a pair of Marquette mistakes. However, another short run from Hruska — and back-to-back-to-back aces — extended the Redettes’ lead to 13-5.

The Braves found it difficult to string more than two points together for the remainder of the set, and Marquette finished the night off with a 7-1 run.