DOWAGIAC — Heading into Thursday’s district volleyball championship match Edwardsburg coach Sarah Benjamin knew it was going to take a quick start by her young team if they wanted to continue their season.

The Eddies got that quick start in each of the evenings’ three games but it wasn’t enough to advance them into the regional tournament as St. Joseph put an end to Edwardsburg’s season taking the match in a three game set 25-17, 25-22, 25-14.

In each game, Edwardsburg took early control, but the Lady Bears would not let that rattle their confidence.

“We had seen them a couple of times this season and I felt that we made the adjustments,” Benjamin said. “They came out strong tonight. What you going to do?”

Edwardsburg had lost their previous meetings with the Bears by two points according to Benjamin. In game one the Eddies held an early 6-2 advantage before St. Joe put together a come back rally to tie the game at seven and build the lead to 12-7. Edwardsburg would cut the lead to one, 17-18 before the Bears rolled off the final seven points for the win.

Game two was about the same with the Eddies holding an early lead and then watched it fall away after a six all tie. St. Joe built the lead to 13-7 before Edwardsburg made a late charge to close the game to within two points, 21-23 before falling in game two.

“They are a good team and I think height lacked us tonight and they are an older team and we are a younger team. So that experience we are not used to seeing the big dogs,” Benjamin stated.

The third game was tied at eight and from there the Bears pulled away to secure the district title and move on to regional play next week.

“Once we got down it was hard for them to climb back up. So if they are on that’s great, but if they’re off they don’t know how to turn it around,” Benjamin said.

St. Joseph…3

Edwardsburg…0

Edwardsburg statistics

Emily Kozinski – 12 kills, 13 digs, 2 blocks

Paige Mueller – 4 aces, 12 digs

Emily Getz – 24 assists