Upper Peninsula high school seniors formed four teams to compete in all-star volleyball matches played on Friday at Forest Park High School in Crystal Falls. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Adam Hinch)

CRYSTAL FALLS — This had been a long time coming.

After 50 years of high school volleyball statewide, Upper Peninsula girls athletes finally got a chance to compete in an all-star event of their own at Forest Park High School on Friday night.

The Red team opened by winning three of four sets, 25-19, 20-25, 25-15, 25-21, for a victory over the Black team, while the Blue pulled off the deed in five sets, 25-19, 11-25, 25-27, 25-10, 15-10, over the White squad in the nightcap.

“I thought it was so fun,” said Manistique coach Amy Nixon, who headed up the Red unit. “I thought it was so cool we were doing it in our 50th year, although I wish we could have done this sooner.

“For our girls to get recognition and play one more time in a high school match is really cool. We tried to make it as competitive as possible.”

A kill by Manistique’s Kyra Carlson put the finishing touches on Red’s victory in the opening matchup.

Red trailed 10-5 after committing a hitting error in the fourth set, but pulled even 11-11 following a hitting miscue by the Black team.

Forest Park setter Elsie Williams, who was selected Most Valuable Player on defense, gave Red a 14-13 lead when she pushed the ball over the net for a kill.

“I got kind of lucky to be able to play another match here,” Williams said. “I assumed it would be here because our coaches were putting a lot of ground work into it and I was super excited to play in it.

“Coming out of the second set, our momentum picked up. We were a little flat in the second set.”

The final set was tied 18-18 before Red surged to a 23-18 advantage on a kill by Wakefield-Marenisco outside hitter Noelle Grace.

A kill by Escanaba outside hitter Ava Stahlboerger brought Black within 24-21 prior to Carlson’s match-ending kill.

“It was definitely an honor and very fun to be part of this,” Stahlboerger said. “It was a great opportunity to play with the girls you played with in high school. It was so much fun to be here with girls who love to play this sport.”

This marked the first time Stahlboerger was on the opposite side of the net from classmate Landry Bray, who will play in a statewide all-star softball game in Grand Rapids on July 14.

“It’s great to see girls sports get some recognition,” Bray said. “It was a great atmosphere and everyone was so supportive. I’m definitely happy with the outcome.”

Black took a 13-12 lead in the third set when Newberry middle blocker Aliya Taylor blocked a shot by Grace.

Grace atoned for that by pushing the ball over to give Red a 15-13 lead.

Black was still within 17-15 following a kill by Taylor before Red got a sideout on a kill by Houghton right side hitter Claire Johnson for a three-point cushion.

Grace then helped Red close that set with a seven-point service run.

Red trailed 14-8 after a hitting miscue in the first set, then rallied to tie the score 14-14 following a two-hit violation by the Black team.

The Red team gained a 19-16 lead on a kill by Bray and extended its advantage to 22-17 following back-to-back kills by Big Bay de Noc middle blocker Caragan Thill.

After a passing miscue foiled Black at the end of the first, it quickly fell behind in the second.

Red trailed 16-5 after a hitting error and 20-8 following a kill by Stahlboerger.

The Red team got within 21-15 before Black used a timeout, then shaved its deficit to 24-19 on a kill by offensive MVP Keira Isaacson of Dollar Bay prior to a service error.

“It feels great to be part of a match with the best players in the U.P.,” she said. “This was my last high school event and it turned out to be a happy ending.”

In the nightcap, the Blue team gained momentum on a nine-point service run by Carney-Nadeau right-side hitter Elodie Lenca in the fourth set.

Blue gained a 19-9 advantage prior to a serving miscue, then got a sideout for a 20-10 cushion.

Forest Park senior Ava Fischer concluded that set with a five-point run that included a kill by Manistique middle blocker Maya Carlson at the end.

A five-point run by Lake Linden-Hubbell outside hitter Cleo Milkey gave Blue a 6-1 lead in the fifth before Kingsford middle blocker Cassie Olson provided Blue with a sideout.

“It was really a competitive match,” offensive MVP Fischer said.

Before that in the opening set, Blue built a 17-9 lead after a kill by Munising’s Hayden Bayer.

In the most competitive set, the third, a 25-25 tie was broken when Jeffers’ Mia Nordstrom came through on a point, and combined with a Blue error, gave Team White the 27-25 victory.

But Lenca sparked a nine-point service run in the fourth set as Blue then evened the match at two sets apiece.

Among the area players listed on team rosters were outside hitter Jenessa Eagle of Ishpeming and libero Olivia Birk of Newberry on Team White, libero Ava Jo Hares of Ishpeming on Team Red, and setter Aleana Park of Negaunee and libero Olivia Cotey of Munising on Team Black.

Additionally, Krista Squiers was one of the Team Blue coaches.