Calumet spikes way past Houghton 3-0
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HOUGHTON -- If there is one thing that the Calumet Copper Kings volleyball team does well night in and night out, it is controlling the ball. Whether that is from the service line or in their serve-receive, the Copper Kings are one of the best in the Upper Peninsula.
That was all on display once again on Monday in Houghton as they downed the Gremlins in three straight sets, 25-20, 25-22, and 25-20.
This was the third time these two rivals had met in less than two weeks, and the results have been the same. Calumet (23-6) has won all three matches, not allowing Houghton (21-10-1) to win even one set.
However, both coaches noted that Monday's matchup was Houghton's best showing by far.
"Our grittiness was there," said Gremlins coach Blaire Zenner. "We did not allow any big runs and stopped their momentum from rolling over us. We kept our confidence."
While confidence and grittiness are all good things, they do not win volleyball matches - points do. The Copper Kings have a points creator in senior captain Helen Beiring.
She singlehandedly tallied 20 of the Copper Kings 75 points with her spike swing above the net.
"Helen had another great night," said Copper Kings coach Kate Bonacorsi. "We did a good job of getting the ball to her with good passing, and that makes a difference."
Beiring is however just one arm in the Copper Kings' arsenal. At the service line on Monday, teammate Allison Bjorn had five aces and 12 kills of her own.
"It is hard to defend against that," Zenner said. We have girls like Stella (Wickstrom) who can get up for the block, but often the block goes the wrong way and the ball falls on our side of the net, or out of bounds, and it's a point for them. Positioning is key."
The Copper Kings led the entire three sets except for a brief tie at four points to start the third set, which Zenner said was the Gremlins' best. However, while the girls from Houghton stayed close at 8-7, they couldn't put a run of two or three together and that made the difference because Calumet could. With Bjorn at the line, she pushed the Copper Kings up to four, 11-7. Minutes later sophomore Jackie Kiilunen widen the gap to a 14-9 Calumet lead and an eventual set and match victory.
"I liked how we covered the floor tonight and varied our shots,"said Bonacorsi. "All of this will be key as districts draw near."
Up next
The Copper Kings will travel to Marquette this Saturday to take on the Redettes. The Gremlins will face the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Lake Linden.