LINDEN LAKE — LINDEN LAKE – The Havel Lake and Baraga Vikings are no strangers to the volleyball court. So Friday’s meeting at Linden Lake to determine his MHSAA Division 4 District 98 champion played out to a familiar rhythm, with a similar outcome in the end. The Lakes defeated the Vikings in three straight games, 25-22, 25-22, and 25-16.
Lakes, which won the district title, will face Crystal Falls Forest Park in district play at Ewen Trout Creek on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“The key for us was consistency.” Lakes coach Jocelyn Perara said. “We had good control of the ball. Our passing was great and we were wild.”
Coach Perara and Vikings coach Corey Pietila noted that the styles of play in both games this season have been similar.
“Our wins earlier in the season, like tonight, were close, three-set wins.” Perara said. “They (Baraga) are a very good team.”
However, Lakes proved to be the better player, which was evident in the first set victory.
The second set started with the score tied at 4, 6, 7, 8. Baraga (14-5) then took an early lead at 13-10 on a play from the Vikings’ Megan Mayo, before pushing it to 15-11 on serve from Mia Coronado. However, 4 points is not enough.
Big kills from Maddie Bushell and Abi Coderre turned the tide back to the Linden Lake side. Bushell and Coderre led the team with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. The match quickly tied for 17th and 20th place, and the race to 25th place began. Lakes’ Amy Murray’s ace made the match 22-21, and Lakes cruised to a set victory.
“Sets 1 and 2 were the best.” said Pietila. “We adjusted well.
We should have been able to get points, but we just couldn’t get a foothold and keep getting points. ”
She added that perhaps some fatigue should be factored in after a back-and-forth first and second set led to an exhausting third set.
Lake Linden’s Becca Lyons served at the start of the third inning, and the Lakes increased their lead to 9-3. The Vikings closed it out with Jaycee Larson’s serving, cutting the lead to two points at 10-8, making it as close as it could get.
Peyton Goldsworthy’s score gave the Lakes a 17-14 lead, and Lyons’ serve sealed the victory.
Despite the loss, Pietila says there is no reason for his team to get hung up.
“It was a good season.” she said. “They worked hard night and night.