Lake Linden-Hubbell’s Abi Codere (4) goes up for the kill against Dollar Bay-Tamarack City blockers Adelyn Swain (19) and Nora Keranen on Thursday in Lake Linden. In on the play for Dollar Bay is Evelyn Moilanen (11). (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

LAKE LINDEN — As the third set began Thursday on the volleyball court in Lake Linden, Lakes coach Jocelyn Perala confessed she got a little emotional. It was an all-senior lineup on their side of the court, and a sign that her inaugural season as head coach with a wonderful group of girls was coming to an end.

“They have been a joy to be around all season,” she said. “They love the game, and they did great.”

The Lakes sailed to a 3-0 victory over the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts on Parents’ Night, 25-17, 25-15 and 25-23. The Lake Linden-Hubbell seniors being honored were Amy Mahrley, Olivia Shank, Abi Codere, Becca Lyons, Megan Ferguson and Maddie Buschell.

The Lakes’ Payton Goldsworthy opened the first set with an ace, and she and her team were out to a four-point, 7-3, lead. Teammate Becca Lyons continued to serve strong and pushed the lead to 11-5. Lyons and Goldsworthy both had two aces on the night, while Mahrley led the team with four.

The second set was much the same. Perala noted that being at home certainly helped.

“You could tell that there was a lot of energy on the court,” she said. “The girls did not give up.”

A 9-5 lead for the Lakes morphed into a 21-14 lead, and an eventual second set win.

The third set was the best for the Blue Bolts despite going up against the Lakes “seniority.”

They had their first lead of the night at 5-2 and then pushed that to 12-8. However, things started to turn around with Codere on the line. She posted at run of four and tied the set at 12-12. It was tied again at 14, 15 and 16 before the Blue Bolts’ Adelyn Swain put her team back on top with a strong service run of four to make it a 20-16 game.

“Obviously I was happy with our third set,” said Blue Bolts coach Sarah Audette. “I wish we could have played like that the whole game. Our struggle is that we come out flat, we dig a hole, and warm up in the second and third set. The problem with that is that is too little, too late.”

And that certainly was the case on Thursday as the Lakes tied it at 21 and won the race to 25 to close out the match and the regular season.

UP NEXT

District play begins next week. The Blue Bolts will face Baraga on Monday at 6 p.m. in Dollar Bay. The winner of that match will face Chassell on Wednesday.

Lake Linden has a bye and will face the winner of L’Anse and Ontonagon on Wednesday.