Bulldogs volleyball sinks Vikings in three
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HANCOCK -- It was a 2025 district volleyball rematch in the Hancock gym Thursday night as two of the Upper Peninsula's top teams met. There was excitement in the air as the Baraga Vikings and Hancock Bulldogs battled it out close to a year later.
Long volleys, hard hits and some diving digs were all on display, and like the postseason of a year ago, the Bulldogs came out on top with a three-set sweep, 25-14, 25-20, and 25-17.
While Hancock coach Brian Lampaa was happy with the win, he is concerned his team is winning too much.
"We get complacent at times and relax on the court," he said. "We are doing really good things offensively, off the service line, hitting, and attacking. Because we are good in some areas, we are relaxed in others, and I am worried that that will come back to hurt us, particularly as we face better teams down the road.
"We cannot relax. We need to be mindful of little things the whole game."
The Bulldogs did come out strong in the first set. A 7-3 lead morphed into a 15-6 advantage and an eventual opening set win.
The second set was the Vikings' (17-1) best. Just ask their coach Corey Pietila.
"In the second set, I think our nerves settled down," Pietila said, "and we played our game."
While Hancock’s Tatum Sporalski opened the set with a 5-0 service run, the Vikings were able to tie it at seven and take a lead at 8-7. The lead was brief as it only lasted one serve.
While the Bulldogs gained the lead at 10-9, it was again knotted at 11, 13, 16, 18 and 19. Despite the even scores, Baraga could not take another lead. After 19-19, the Bulldogs won the race to 25 with Romey Koskela posting a service run of four and taking her team to the set win.
Up two sets to nil, the Hancock girls kept the momentum going in the third set. However, Baraga wasn’t going down easy. They shadowed their opponent by two or three points most of the match and came within one of tying at 12-13, but could never catch or gain a lead with Hancock.
The Bulldogs’ Jana Pietila posted back-to-back aces at points 15 and 16, but the Vikings still hung in at 18-15. However, strong service by Sporalski and Koskela put the set away in the end.
Despite the loss, Pietila liked what she saw in her team, adding that they will be even more prepared if they have to face off again in postseason play.
"I am proud of the girls as they battled," she said. "They gave it their (all), and that is all I can ask for each game."
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Both teams were back at it Friday. Baraga (17-1) took on Dollar Bay-Tamarack City, and the Bulldogs (17-2) faced the L’Anse Purple Hornets.