PORT HURON >> Winning a state championship can sometimes come down to getting hot at the right time.

Nobody knows that better than the Birmingham Marian volleyball program.

In the 2020 season, a young Mustang team got hot just before the playoffs and made a run to the state title that sparked a three-year run atop Division 1.

After missing out on a fourth consecutive trip to Battle Creek in 2023, No. 4 Marian has punched its ticket back to Kellogg Arena thanks to an 18-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 win over No. 7 Utica Eisenhower in Tuesday’s D1 quarterfinal at SC4 Fieldhouse.

“We’ve got a solid lineup that we have been rolling with and I think we’ve been growing in confidence each week,” said senior Isabelle Busignani, who was part of the team’s 2022 state championship. “That shows in how we’ve been playing lately.”

With the win, the Mustangs (45-7) advance to Thursday’s D1 semifinal, where it will face No. 2 Northville at 4:30 p.m.

“We survived, survived the night. It wasn’t our best volleyball, but at times it was. However, we’re going to have to play a heck of a lot better going up against Northville,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said.

Eisenhower (38-8) had a pair of wins over Marian during the season and took the opening set of Tuesday’s quarterfinal. However, the Eagles suffered a big blow in the second set when sophomore outside Elise Biermann suffered a leg injury that took her out of the match.

Biermann attempted to return to the floor in the third set, but was unable to get off the floor when attempting a kill and sat out the rest of the match after compiling five kills.

“Elise is a key part of our team and it was heartbreaking to see. I think it was just a shock to everyone,” Eisenhower coach Caitlin LaPratt said.

Marian was able to take the second set after leading 15-10 at the time of the injury. The Mustangs then turned that into a win in the third set as well.

In previous meetings with Eisenhower, Marian failed to capitalize with its attack in the middle. That wouldn’t be the case on Tuesday, as junior Jayla Zayti had six kills over the second and third sets.

“A big thing we were working on all week at practice was getting balls more to the corners, getting our middles more involved,” Cook said. “When we played (Eisenhower) the previous (matches), a lot of times they single blocked us in the middle. They weren’t really respecting our middles. I thought our middles did a nice job being in the air, being available. In those middle sets, they were a big factor. Our middles were a lot more effective this match against them.”Along with the improved play in the middle, Busignani dialed her play up another level. She had eight kills to push the Mustangs to the one-set advantage.

“She was on fire in that third set and had a couple of really big kills that just got everybody, the whole team, you know, ignited and excited,” Cook said of Busignani, who had a match-high 24 kills. “The second half of the season, she has (picked up her intensity). I mean, she’s had big moments. I’m glad that she’s playing her best volleyball now at the end of the season, in the playoffs.”

In the fourth, Marian led 9-3 and looked to be running away with the match, but Eisenhower dug deep and fought to tie the set at 23-23. However, the Mustangs got the final two points on a kill from Zayti and an attack error by the Eagles.

“I think unfortunately (the injury) took the wind out of our sails and it took us too long to get over it,” LaPratt said of her team. “I was proud of the way we rallied back at the end, I just wish we could have bounced back sooner.”

Eisenhower was led by sophomore Liliana Tripi, who had 40 assists. Sophomore Rease Buza had 10 kills, while junior Gina Fredrigo had nine and senior Nicole Rek had seven. Junior Liliana Gegovic added six kills, five blocks and four aces.

Ike will only graduate two from this 2024 team, which was ranked in the state most of the year. Despite the disappointing end on Tuesday, LaPratt knows her 2025 squad could be special.

“This is a great group of kids that have a lot of drive and a lot of stamina to keep up with the top teams in the state,” LaPratt said. “I know this experience is just going to keep them hungry for more next season. Hopefully we can make that next step, next year.”

Marian sophomore Sophia Smith had 10 kills and four blocks in the victory, while Zayti finished with eight kills and two blocks. Senior Chloe Giehtbrock had nine kills, while junior setter Allie Davison had 46 assists.

“We’re a bunch of sophomores and juniors with Izzy for the most part, on the court,” Cook said. “So, I think we can make it far. Again, on any given night, any given night, any team can take it, and I’m confident we’ll bring our ‘A’ game against Northville.”