Hancock’s Brooke Koskela (red) goes up for the spike against Lake Linden-Hubbell’s Emily Burnham (13) and Payton Goldsworthy (10) on Wednesday in Lake Linden.

By Eddie O’Neill

eoneill@mininggazette.com

LAKE LINDEN – While the Lake Linden-Hubbell Lakes volleyball team battled hard in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, they could not get by a strong swinging Hancock Bulldog squad. The Bulldogs swept the Lakes 3-0 (25-12, 26-24, 25 16).

“We played strong,” said Hancock coach Brian Lamppa. We had good starts in the first and third sets which helped us coast to wins.”

The first set included big swings by Brooke Koskela.

“She was key in getting some big hits in when we were out of our system, and that flustered them,” added Lamppa.

It was a different story in the second set. It was the best one for the Lakes as they jumped out to a seven-point lead at 11-4. They stayed at least four or five points ahead through the set, and at 20-16, it looked like they were going to win the race to 25. The Bulldogs, however, sunk those plans. With Lynn Heinonen on the line, they tied it at 24 and won it at 26.

“We had high and low moments tonight,” stated Lakes’ coach Joslynn Perala. “We need better consistency and no mid-set lulls. When there is positive energy, we play well, and when there is bad energy, we don’t play well.”

Hancock’s Reese Driscoll was the star of the third set. After a tie at nine, the Bulldogs went up 13 -10 when she stepped up to serve. She posted a service run of 13 to put her team at match-set point 24-10. They won it 25-16.

“Reese takes pride in her serves,” Lamppa added. “And that was evident tonight not just with her, but with all our team. We are serving very well.”

Up Next

It is the Copper Spike tonight at Houghton as the Gremlins and Bulldogs will battle it out. First serve is set for 7 p.m. the Lakes will welcome Ironwood on Tuesday.