For the first time in six years, a county high school volleyball team didn’t win the Leland Varsity Volleyball Tournament.

LENA KNOLL of Suttons Bay tips the ball
over the net in a match against Cheboygan
Saturday at Leland. The Norse advanced to
the championship match before falling to
Charlevoix.

Charlevoix beat Suttons Bay, defending tournament champs, in the title match Saturday, 25-17, 22-25, 25-17. The last non-county team to win the Leland tournament was Reed City in 2000.

Norsemen coach Mike Kelly said his team started the day very strong, but players became tentative entering the final match. “All day long we played to our strengths. Then, in the final match, we started playing not to lose, which we did,” he said.

Suttons Bay swept through morning pool play, downing Northport 21-11, 21-4; Cheboygan 21-12, 21-16; and Charlevoix 21-17, 21-17. The Norse then beat Glen Lake in the quarterfinals 25-5, 25-7, and defeated Cheboygan again 25-20, 25-13 in the semis.

For the day Anna Pryor served 51-of-53 with 5 aces, 102 assists and 9 digs to lead Suttons Bay. Arianna Guillen had 14 aces, 7 assists, 29 digs; Crystal Dittrich served 52-all with 10 aces, 14 digs; Maggie Walters served 45-of-46 with 13 aces, 51 kills, 9 blocks, 14 assists; Charlotte Stowe served 23-of-24 with 4 aces, 28 kills, 3 blocks, 23 digs; Fran Belanger had 6 aces, 12 kills, 13 digs; Emily Send, 11 kills; and Kelly Kerr, 18 kills.

Leland first-year coach Angie Shinos said the Comets were up for their home tournament and had a good morning, beating Glen Lake 21-9, 21-17; losing to Traverse City Central 24-22, 21-16, then beating Frankfort 21-13, 21-11 to go 2-1. The Comets lost to Cheboygan in the quarterfinals, 25-15, 25-20

“We played a really good first game against T-C Central, had good communication going and passing. Then in the second game our passing broke down and we lost.” Shinos said.

For the day, Erin Sneed had 27 assists, 4 kills, 7 digs, 1 block, 3 aces to lead Leland. Erica Breen had 12 kills, 21 digs, 6 blocks, 2 aces; Julianna Lisuk had 10 kills, 4 digs, 2 blocks, 4 aces; Sarah Ruszel had 4 kills, 6 digs, 5 aces; Haley Versnyder had 6 aces; and Molly Harrison had 17 assists, 9 digs, 5 aces.

Glen Lake had a tough day at Leland, which began with the loss to the host Comets. The Lakers won against Frankfort, 21-18, but dropped the next two games and the match, 21-9, 15-9. Glen Lake also lost to T-C Central 21-8, 21-13, and Suttons Bay 25-5, 25-7.

Coach Sue Flowers said she thought her team was rebounding well from a tough start against Leland by winning the first game against Frankfort. “The girls were communicating and passing better, but we couldn’t keep the momentum going,” she said.

Dani Frost had 7 kills, 2 blocks, 2 digs to lead the Lakers; Crissy Bush had 13 digs, 5 kills; Heather Flowers had 2 kills, 15 assists, 5 digs; and Rachelle Brzezinski had 6 kills, 12 digs.

Northport did not win a game or match all day, according to Coach Kristi Fischer. “We did not play well all day; it was a tough outing for us,” she said. Fischer provided no scores or statistics from the Leland tournament.

Northport will host Leland and T-C Christian tonight, will host the Cadillac Heritage Christian varsity on Monday at will play at Suttons Bay against the freshman team on Tuesday. Leland, Glen Lake and Suttons Bay will all compete at the Traverse City West Tournament on Saturday. Leland will host Benzie, Glen Lake will host Mesick and Suttons Bay will host Kingsley on Tuesday.