CALUMET — The Calumet Copper Kings volleyball team evened the score with the Hancock Bulldogs on Tuesday with a 3-0 sweep on the volleyball court. The Copper Kings won, 25-22, 25-18 and 25-22.

This sweep comes more than a month after the Bulldogs dealt a similar blow to the Calumet girls in Hancock.

“You can see the improvements the girls have made since that first game,” noted Calumet coach Kate Bonacorsi. “Our blocking was really good and we covered the floor well.”

Hancock’s best set was the first. After the score was knotted at eight, the Bulldogs posted a four-point lead at 15-11 and 18-11. However, the Copper Kings tightened their defense and rallied back to tie this one at 19. They then won the race to 25 and kept the Bulldogs at 22.

“We played well for the first 17, 18 and 19 points. We were doing exactly what we needed to do,” said Bulldogs coach Brian Lampaa. “Then we got tight, and we lost focus.”

In the second set, it was tied at three, six and seven before the Copper Kings’ Amiina Tarnowski served up a run of five and put her team up 13-8. She was also strong at the net with 10 kills.

“Amiina gets the game ball,” stated her coach. “She had a great game.”

Chloe Coppo and Grace Keranen followed with nine kills.

The Copper Kings went on to post a 25-18 victory.

The third set was much the same. After ties at three and five, the Copper Kings moved out to a 10-5 lead with Keranen on the line. That morphed into a 19-14. While the Bulldogs were able to get within three at 20-23 the Copper Kings sealed the deal with Bailey Strom on the line for the winning match-set point (25-22).

“This was good competition for the girls,” said Lampaa. “We need to refocus and regroup and get ready for districts next week.”

Up next

District volleyball tournaments start next week for both teams and across the state.