Down 8-13, Esko ran off 7 straight points to win the 5th and final game in a 3 games to 2 Section 7AA Semi-final volleyball win over Hibbing, in Grand Rapids, November 2, 2011. It looked early, like Esko was going to beat Hibbing in 3 straight games, when they went up 2 games to 0. The Eskomos had to work in the first game, down 11-17 at one point. They outscored Hibbing 14-6 to finish the game 25-23, including runs from 11-17 to 14-17 and 14-18 to 20-18.
Esko trailed only at 2-3 in the second game, and their largest lead of the game was 9-4, winning this one 25-21.
The third game was back and forth, though Esko was down 4-9 they battled back and tied the match at every point but 20's and 22's from 16's to 26's but dropped the final two points to 26-28.
In the fourth game, Hibbing built a lead, from 8-8 to 12-20 before Esko made their move, closing the sore to 21-22, and only losing the game 23-25.
Game five, as mentioned, saw Esko come back from 8-13 down, led by Stephanie Bandelin hitting, and an Amanda Bisel kill that rolled nearly half the length along the tape on top of the net before dropping to the floor on the Hibbing side, that gave Esko match point 14-13. With the 15-13 final game win, Esko faces Mora in the 7AA volleyball final at Duluth Denfeld, November 5, 2011.
