Paul Peterson photo Sophia Huhta of Chassell prepares to send a shot back in Wednesday's Class C semifinal against Hancock. D’Andra Kero of Hancock defends. Chassell was a 3-1 winner and will face Calumet in the district final.

CHASSELL — Defeating an opponent three times in one season is considered one of the toughest feats in any sport.

Just ask Chassell High volleyball coach Kaitlyn Michaels.

“Beating a team three times in one season is very difficult,” Michaels said after her team downed Hancock 3-1 (25-21, 25-11, 17-25, 25-18) in a Class C district semifinal Wednesday night at Helakoski Memorial Gym. “We were slightly underprepared for some of the amazing digs they (Bulldogs) made. I could not believe some of them, they really made a great effort.”

The win earned the Panthers a spot in tonight’s district championship game at Calumet at 7 p.m. The Copper Kings tripped Houghton 3-1 in their semifinal match.

The Panthers took the first two sets rather easily and seemed on their way to an easy win last night.

But the hustling Bulldogs had other ideas, capturing the third set by 25-17 margin behind the scrambling play of Clariane Akuino, Abby Brooks and Karena Holmstrom.

“We played very, very well in the third set,” Hancock coach Sarah Grieger said. “Clariane, Abby and Karena were really on their games, and I thought we had a shot at winning. But Chassell is a veteran team.”

Sparked by the net play of seniors Sophia Huhta and Sydney Danison, CHS

was able to repel the Bulldogs in the fourth set by a 25-18 count.

Huhta, in particular, came up with several clutch plays down the stretch.

With her team holding on to an 18-15 lead, Huhta had a big block and followed that up with a resounding kill. The eventual winners never wavered after that sequence.

“Sophia (Huhta) is one of those players who stays calm all the time,” Michaels said. “She’s never fazed, she stays cool and collected, and she thinks through every one of her moves. She’s definitely one of our smartest and steadiest players.”

Another steady player for the Panthers was senior Milly Allen. Allen, the quarterback of the team, collected 35 assists, five digs, three kills and three aces.

“She (Allen) had a very well-rounded game,” Michaels said. “That’s the way she plays all the time.”

Sydney Danison had nine kills, four blocks and one ace, while Huhta chipped in 11 kills, three digs and one block. Leah Pennala was good for 11 kills, and Danna Kinnunen recorded seven kills and one ace.

Libero Rebecca Markham had 17 digs and Adia Anderson also chipped in eight digs.

Akuino registered 42 digs — 20 in the first set alone — in a solid outing.

Brooks came up with 26 digs, Delaney Heinonen had 23 and Holmstrom 17. Maddie Johnson recorded 26 assists.

Grieger believes the experience of this season will benefit her young team.

“We learned a lot as a team, even though it was a tough season,” she said. “We’ll be better next year.”

Michaels said the prospect of meeting Calumet has been one of her team’s main goals all season.

“We’ve been preparing. We have to stay calm and play our game,” she said. “Calumet is a very intimidating team and they have one of the top players in the U.P. in Lea Bjorn. We have to stay focused.”