Dollar Bay-Tamarack City’s Kiera Isaacson (9) bumps a ball during a match against Baraga Wednesday in Baraga. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

BARAGA — The Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Blue Bolts had a fire in their steps on Wednesday as they swung their way to a 3-0 sweep (26-24, 25-20 and 25-13) of the Baraga Vikings.

Key to the win was the big swing of Blue Bolts hitter Kiera Isaacson. In short, the tall junior was seemingly unstoppable when she got her hands above the net.

“She had a great night tonight,” stated her coach, Kristi Bellmore. “She found her rhythm and couldn’t be stopped. When we got the ball to her, she was unstoppable. She found the holes.”

In the opening set, the Blue Bolts shot out to a 10-3 lead thanks to the consistent serve of Laila Bell. That increased to a 10-point lead at 14-4, however the Vikings were not going down easily. With Shayla Elmblad on the line, they moved the score to 16-12 and with Dalanna Connor serving they tied it at 23. However, Dollar Bay stayed on track and won in extra points.

The Blue Bolts’ Isaacson was also a strong presence on the service line as evident in the second set where she posted two back-to-back aces at points eight and nine. They then moved ahead of the Vikings 21-13, but again the Baraga squad fought back to a 22-19 differential courtesy of strong play by the Vikings Elmblad and the service of Elisa Delene. The Blue Bolts stayed strong and won the second set by five points.

As the third set got under way, a 7-4 Dollar Bay lead turned into a 17-11 difference. Momentum was with the Blue Bolts as they kept the Vikings on the defense and gave up very few points- all good things according to Bellmore. They won this one 25-13.

“Our service was really on tonight,” she said. “We had a lot of good runs, and there was a real consistency on the court.”

On the other bench, Baraga coach Corey Pietila was quite disappointed.

“We were flat,” she stated, “and didn’t come to play. We played them to five sets earlier this year, but mentally we were not in this one.”

UP NEXT

The Blue Bolts will welcome the L’Anse Purple Hornets to their gym on Thursday, Oct. 17. The Vikings will take on the Ontonagon Gladiators at home on Tuesday Oct. 15.