Chassell’s Elli Kuntze (10) bumps a ball over the net Wednesday during a game against Baraga in Chassell. Teammate Paige Danison (15) looks on. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

CHASSELL — It was a back-and-forth battle on the volleyball court Wednesday between the Chassell Panthers and the Baraga Vikings. Both teams showed moments of strong, and not-so-strong, play.

In the end, it was the Vikings who prevailed with 3-2 win, 18-25, 25-3, 25-16, 23-25, and 16-14.

What makes this win even more special for Baraga, according to coach Corey Pietila, is the fact that two of her starters went down with rolled ankles in the opening serves of the first set.

“That was not good,” she stated. “However, I am super proud of how my eighth grader (Delanna Connor) and ninth grader (Lil Tapani) stepped up. Lil gets the game ball for her passing and backcourt play.”

While Chassell took the opener, the Vikings dominated the second set from the service line.

Senior Rylee Holm posted a 21-point run that moved the Vikings from a 2-2 tie to a 25-3 set win.

“She was ridiculously consistent, but our team helped her to stay consistent,” added Pietila.

Baraga stayed hot to open the third, only to have Chassell tie it at five. However, that was as good as it got. The Panthers could never take the lead. In fact, a 5-5 knot quickly became a 11-6 Baraga lead thanks again to a strong service run by Holm, which helped propel the Vikings to the set win.

The Panthers, however, got back on track in the fourth. They opened with a 5-4 lead. Baraga though tied it at five and again at 14, 18 and 23 before Chassell snuck in for a two-point win.

Strong service by Chassell’s Dusty Lippold and Elli Kuntz helped seal the deal.

It was now a 2-2 match and a race to 15 points commenced in the fifth and final set. The two teams battled point for point in the openings serves and knotted at a 4-4 tie. Chassell moved out to a 7-4 lead and an even better 12-8 lead with Megan Holombo on the line. They were even a point away from victory at 14-13 when a miss hit tied it.

It was now win by two, and the Vikings’ Tapani did just that for a 16-14 match-point rally.

“They (Baraga) cover the floor well and beat us with strong play,” said Chassell coach Kim Aho. “We played hard and all the way till the end, and it could have gone either way. I am proud of the girls. They worked hard.”

UP NEXT

Both teams will be in action this Saturday at the Baraga Invite volleyball tournament held at Baraga High School.