Baraga middle blocker Sophie DesRochers (7) goes up for a block against L'Anse's Lindsey Biekkola (11) during a match Wednesday at the Baraga High School gym. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

BARAGA — It was a hot and stuffy evening in the Baraga High School gym on Wednesday, and it wasn’t just due to a crowded environment, or the warm temperatures outside. The heat was coming from the fiery play of the Baraga Vikings volleyball team. They set sail with a winning serve and stayed the course with a sweep of their arch enemies, the L’Anse Purple Hornets (25-10, 25-17 and 25-20).

“I am so proud of the girls,” said Baraga coach Corey Pietila. “We were able to stay in our system and control the game.”

In the first set, Baraga’s Adrianna Kyllonen posted a service run of five and put the Vikings up 6-4. That morphed into an 18-10 lead and an eventual 25-10 win.

L’Anse seemed to wake up a little in the opening of the second set. The set was tied at three, four and five before Baraga took over. This time it was Elise Delene who pushed the Vikings out to a 9-6 lead while at the line.

Delene was also strong at the net with 10 kills. Maya Hendrickson also had 10 kills. Sophie DesRochers led with 11.

“The energy was there,” added Pietila. “Setters did a great job of getting the ball to our hitters.”

Baraga’s libero, Lilly Tapani, posted two aces for points 21 and 22, and the second set ended 25-17.

“Lilly played very well,” said Pietila. “She had no service errors and led with four aces.”

The Purple Hornets (4-9) continued to play the Vikings (9-5) close in the third. They stayed within one and tied it at seven, but could not take a lead. Kyllonen was again strong at the line in this one and pushed the Vikings out to a 15-10 lead.

The Purple Hornets, however, bounced back and came within two at 16-18 and 20-22, but that is where they stayed.

“We came out flat and never seemed to recover,” said Purple Hornets coach McKenna Monticello. “We lacked energy, and did not communicate well. However, I am proud of the girls for sticking with it in hot, sticky gym.”

Up next

The Vikings will travel to Painesdale on Tuesday to face the Jeffers Jets. The Purple Hornets will welcome the Jets to their gym on Thursday, Sept 25. Both matches begin at 6:30 p.m.