“Offensively, they just executed,” said Calumet coach Kate Bonacorsi when addressing her team’s performance. “We didn’t pass very well in serve receives, and that’s always something we want to do well, so we just have to continue working.”

The Kings took the court undefeated in conference play (9-0), and they have not lost a single set over that stretch.

“I don’t think there is any real pressure, Bonacorsi said on the team’s undefeated streak. “[The team] goal is to take care of business, and I think they have a lot of confidence.”

Helen Beiring led Calumet with 13 kills, and Allison Bjorn scored 12 times.

The Copper Kings’ Allison Bjorn (17) tries to spike one past the Patriots’ Emilee Hebert (left) and Marie Johnson (14) during a match Thursday in Calumet. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

Calumet took an early 3-0 lead, but Westwood fired back with three points to make it 3-3. The Kings won four out of the next five sets to give them an 8-4 advantage. With the score at 10-5, the Kings scored nine straight with Beiring at the service line to take an 18-5 lead. The Patriots managed two more points in the set, but the Kings shut them down from there.

Calumet was up 5-1 after the first six serves in the second set. Laina Kareniemi served eight times in a row for the Kings, increasing the lead to 12, 13-1. In the following nine rallies, Westwood scored six, and Calumet scored three.

The score was 19-8 when Carly Loukus propelled the Kings to six straight points that closed out the second set in Calumet’s favor.

The Copper Kings had a commanding 2-0 lead in the match heading into the third set. The set was locked at five when Calumet won 10 of the next 11 points to extend their lead to a 15-6 advantage.

The Copper Kings added four to the Patriots’ one. Calumet finished the game on a 5-2 run to keep their perfect season intact.

Up next

Calumet’s next game is on the road against Houghton on Monday, Oct. 17.