With the victory, the Panthers will play Jeffers Wednesday in the semifinal round in Painsedale. First serve for the contest is 7 p.m.

The Panthers (5-16) were leading 2-1 at the start of the fourth set. However, the Lakes looked like they would force a fifth set as they were up 23-15, but the Panthers came back and won both the set and match.

The service of Maija Sauvola was the key to Chassell’s victory in the fourth. In short, she put the ball over and the Panthers were able to rally 10-unanswered points. Points came as a combination of Lakes’ misplays and Chassell’s steady play.

“When we play consistent and set things up, then we are competitive,” said Panthers’ coach Carly Goddard. “We do not have a big hitter or stand out player. Good play from all our girls is the secret to our success, and that is what occurred.”

The Lakes’ Maddie Buschell gos up for the kill in a District 98 quarterfinal match against the Panthers Monday at the Lake Linden-Hubbell Gym. The Panthers advanced with a 3-1 win. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

Momentum was certainly another key factor for the Panthers, especially in the first set as they pulled out to a 9-6 lead. That lead morphed into a 21-17 advantage. Emma Goddard iced the set with four more points.

The Lakes took the second set with a combination of strong service runs and better play. Kara Kinnunen pushed the Lakes out to a 5-2 lead, and an ace minutes later by Brooke Banfield made it 13-5. The Lakes then kept rolling with steady play and earned their only set victory.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle, at least to start. The set was tied at four and then at seven. However, the Panthers’ Megan Holombo stepped up to the line and kept the Lakes at seven while she and her team moved to 13 and never looked back.

Carly Goddard credited the gritty style of team captain Saige Hietala as the key to victory in the third set.

“She is always hyped up and helps run the floor,” said Goddard. “She is just all over the place and did it again.”

As the fourth set got under way it, looked like Lake Linden would force a fifth set. Banfield opened with a 5-0 service run.

That soon became a 10-4 lead for the Lakes. However, Chassell’s Holombo was able to put together a service run of four and the Panthers were able to crawl their way back into the game and set the stage for the comeback win.

As for Wednesday’s semifinal matchup, Carly Goddard and her girls know they have their work cut out against Jeffers.

“They beat us pretty easily in the regular season,” she said. “They are good, but hopefully we can give them some better competition this time.”

This was the third time the Lakes and Panthers had played this season. Both teams had won a match during the regular season.

Dollar Bay beats L’Anse

The Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts downed the L’Anse Purple Hornets in three sets on Monday. The Blue Bolts won 25-22, 25-10, and 25-21.

Up next

In other District 98 semifinal action, Dollar Bay will take on Baraga Wednesday. The district final is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Jeffers.