LAKE LINDEN — After two sets of strong volleyball played by the Baraga Vikings it looked like they would sail into a 3-0 sweep of the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes on Thursday.

They had won the opening two with scores of 25-19 and 25-21. But the Lakes weren’t going down easy.

The Vikings bounced back from a 4-0 opening deficit to tie it at 19 and win the third 25-23. But Baraga (6-4) got back on track in the fourth and won the match 25-17.

“Obviously, the third set was our best,” LL-H head coach Ellen Jarvis said. “I told the girls that after losing those first two, they needed to step it up a bit and get into their defensive spots, and it worked. The girls didn’t stop until the fourth.”

Baraga’s Cori Jahfetson opened the third with a 4-0 service run but with Olivia Shank and Camaryn Crouch at the line the Lakes (5-9) came back to tie it at 6. Baraga remained strong and etched out a 19-13 lead.

Then LL-H’s libero Brooke Banfield stepped up to the line. She pushed the Lakes back into a tie at 19 and put momentum on her squad’s side. The two rivals tied at 21 and again at 23, but LL-H stayed strong and won the last two points for a 25-23 victory.

“That’s how we should have been playing all night,” Jarvis said. “We started out the fourth with the momentum of the third, but there is a mistake here and there, and we get down and lose that momentum. That has been a struggle we’ve tried to overcome all season.”

The fourth set started with LL-H’s Shank leading the way with a 5-0 service run.

A few volleys later they were up 10- 4, and then came the force of the Vikings in the form of junior Kaci Coronado. She went on a seven-point service run and knocked the wind out of the Lakes’ sail.

“Kaci was an animal on that back line,” said Baraga’s head coach Corey Pietila. “She put on a show for us.”

After the score was tied at 13, 14 and 17, Baraga’s Kyie Michaelson finished the game with a wining-service run of eight to win 25-17.

“We were short four girls tonight because of (COVID-19) quarantine,” Pietila said. “That was tough enough. However, you could see what a difference it makes when the girls talk no matter how many subs we have on the bench.”

She added that that was the key to victory in the first two sets.

“The girls were talking and moving the ball well in the opening sets,” Pietila said. “However, that stopped in the third, and we lost it. But, we got some momentum back in the fourth and were able to get back in our rhythm and win.”