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Thanks to a dramatic, five-game victory over Ubly, the two-time defending champion, the Lady Raiders moved to 6-0 in the East. After splitting the first four games, 18-25, 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, Marlette pulled out the match with a 15-13 decision in game five. The win marked Marlette's first victory over the Bearcats in league play since 2005.

With All-State hitter Jenna Lange in the back row and the scored knotted at 13-13 in the final game, Coach Fred McDowell needed junior Amber Wood to step up in the front row, and she responded with back-to-back kills to end the match.

"We had a talk..." said McDowell about Wood, "and when she went in the front row, she was amazing. She had a couple of big kills."

Wood finished with some of her best numbers of the season, notching 17 kills and five blocks and going 21-24 serving with three aces.

McDowell said the match with Ubly was great to watch. "Both teams made some spectacular digs. The hitting was so hard that there were some controversies if some were in or out.

"I feel good to pull out the win at home," he added. "We'll see how we do at their place (Thurs., Oct. 18)." Ubly is now 5-1 in the division.

Lange, a senior that will play at Oakland University next fall, had 28 kills and four blocks and was 10-10 serving. Meanwhile, Josie Volz was 12-12 serving and had 45 assists, Jenna Thompson was 11-11 serving and committed just three errors in 45 dig attempts, and Amara Wilson added 16-19 serving with one ace.

Lady Raiders win title at Garber

Coach McDowell utilized his whole team Saturday and came away with the first place trophy at the Garber Invitational in Essexville.

In the championship match, Marlette, after dropping the first game to Garber, 24-26, got back on a roll and took the final two games, 25-15, 15-6.

"We were up 22-18 (in the first game) and then we committed some silly mistakes," said McDowell. "But, it was pretty decisive after that."

The Lady Raiders, now 23-7-3 overall this season, were 2-0-1 in pool play, splitting with Michigan Lutheran Seminary(10-25, 25-19) and whipping Vassar (25-16, 25-8) and Lakeland (25-8, 25-9). They defeated Lakeland (25-8, 25-12) and MLS (26-16, 25-7) in the first two playoff matches.

Lange finished with 61 kills and seven blocks despite sitting out four games. Wood added 36 kills and three blocks and six other players had four kills or more.. Volz finished with 34-34 serving and 103 assists and Thompson was 29-30 serving with five aces.